This achieved a Teff- to Treg-cell ratio of 5:1, a dose that we have previously used to detect functional differences between allospecific Treg-cell lines [28, 30]. Animals were monitored for cGVHD symptoms for 7 weeks as described earlier. At the experimental endpoint, find more all Treg cells were found to have significantly inhibited cGVHD-induced splenomegaly (Fig. 3A). This was associated

with a significant reduction in both the donor cell compartment (Fig. 3B and C) (cGVHD 8.6 ± 4.1% H-2Kd− cells of total splenocytes versus auto-Treg cells 2.8 ± 2.3%, indirect Treg cells 3.8 ± 1.8% and direct Treg cells 1.8 ± 1.2%) and recipient T-cell composition of the spleen (Fig. 3C and D) (cGVHD 29.9 ± 14.6% CD4+H-2Kd+ cells of total splenocytes versus auto-Treg cells 20.3 ± 0.5%, indirect Treg cells 20.2 ± 2%, direct Treg cells 17.6 ± 1.6% and PBS control animals 20.2 ± 0.9%). This suggests that recipient lymphocyte hyperactivity induced by alloreactive Kinase Inhibitor Library cell line donor cells had also been efficiently controlled by Treg-cell transfer. Of importance, auto-Treg cells completely prevented donor cell engraftment, with no residual donor T cells being

detectable within the splenic tissue of any treated animals, however indirect- and direct allospecific Treg cells were able to permit donor-derived T-cell engraftment (cGVHD 3.8 ± 1.6% CD4+H-2Kd− cells of total splenocytes versus indirect Treg cells 0.5 ± 0.4% and direct Treg cells 0.2 ± 0.2%), demonstrating that cGVHD disease could be fully prevented by allospecific Treg cells despite the sustained engraftment of donor cells. This suggests that while auto-Treg cells may have suppressed initial donor

T-cell proliferation and engraftment, allospecific Treg cells may have specifically regulated donor alloreactive T-cell proliferation. As serum autoantibodies are indicative of SLE-type immunopatholgy, sera from cGVHD and Treg-treated animals were screened for both Th1 (IgG2a) and Th2 (IgE, IgG1) associated immunoglobulins. Elevated levels of both IgG autoantibodies and IgE induced by cGVHD after 7 weeks were significantly and equally inhibited by all Treg-cell Sodium butyrate lines (Fig. 4A–C), resulting in autoantibody levels similar to PBS controls (PBS versus Treg-treated groups: ns). Co-transfer of Treg cells further abrogated IgG immune complex deposition within kidney glomeruli (Fig. 4D and E). Our finding that Treg cells with autoreactivity, indirect or direct allospecificity were all able to prevent cGVHD immune pathology, suggests that although a combination of dysregulated autoimmune reactivity and alloimmunity plays a critical role in the progression of cGVHD, inhibition of either can control disease progression.