IL-10 Induces T Cell Exhaustion During Transplantation of Virus Infected Hearts

Background/Aims: Unexpected transmissions of viral pathogens during solid organ transplantation (SOT) can result in severe, life-threatening diseases in transplant recipients. Immune activation contributes to disease onset. However mechanisms balancing the immune response against transmitted viral infection through organ transplantation remain unknown. Methods & Results: Here we found, using lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), that transplantation of LCMV infected hearts led to exhaustion of virus specific CD8(+) T cells, viral persistence in organs and survival of graft and recipient. Genetic depletion of Interleukin-10 (IL-10) resulted in strong immune activation, graft dysfunction and death of mice, suggesting that IL-10 was a major regulator of CD8(+) T cell exhaustion during SOT. In the presence of memory CD8(+) T cells, virus could be controlled. However sufficient antiviral immune response resulted in acute rejection of transplanted heart. Conclusion: We found that virus transmitted via SOT could not be controlled by naive mice recipients due to IL-10 mediated CD8(+) T cell exhaustion which thereby prevented immunopathology and graft failure whereas memory mice recipients were able to control the virus and induced graft failure. (C) 2016 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel