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Embryonic Mouse STO Cell–Derived Xenografts Express Hepatocytic Functions in the Livers of Nonimmunosuppressed Adult Rats

^a Department of Pharmacology and
^b Center for Molecular Genetics, University of California, San Diego, California;
^c Ordway Research Institute and
^d New York State Health Department, Albany, New York;
^e Marion Bessin Liver Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA

Key Words. Mouse STO progenitor cells • Xenotransplantation • Nonimmunosuppressed rats

Correspondence: K.S. Koch, and H.L. Leffert, Department of Pharmacology and Center for Molecular Genetics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093-0636 USA. Telephone: 858-534-2354; Fax: 858-822-4184; e-mail: kkoch{at}ucsd.edu and hleffert{at}ucsd.edu

Cells derived from embryonic mouse STO cell lines differentiate into hepatocytes when transplanted into the livers of nonimmunosuppressed dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPPIV)–negative F344 rats. Within 1 day after intrasplenic injection, donor cells moved rapidly into the liver and were found in intravascular and perivascular sites; by 1 month, they were intrasinusoidal and also integrated into hepatic plates with approximately 2% efficiency and formed conjoint bile canaliculi. Neither donor cell proliferation nor host inflammatory responses were observed during this time. Detection of intrahepatic mouse COX1 mitochondrial DNA and mouse albumin mRNA in recipient rats indicated survival and differentiation of donor cells for at least 3 months. Mouse COX1 targets were also detected intrahepatically 4–9 weeks after STO cell injection into nonimmunosuppressed wild-type rats. In contrast to STO-transplanted rats, mouse DNA or RNA was not detectable in untreated or mock-transplanted rats or in rats injected with donor cell DNA. In cultured STO donor cells, DPPIV and glucose-6-phosphatase activities were observed in small clusters; in contrast, mouse major histocompatibility complex class I H-2K^q, H-2D^q, and H-2L^q and class II I-A^q markers were undetectable in vitro before or after interferon gamma treatment. Together with H-2K allele typing, which confirmed the Swiss mouse origin of the donor cells, these observations indicate that mouse-derived STO cell lines can differentiate along hepatocytic lineage and engraft into rat liver across major histocompatibility barriers.