Transplantation of mouse embryonic stem cells induces hematopoietic and tissue chimerism in rats

Embryonic stem cells (ESC) can differentiate into all cell lineages, and ESC-like cells were shown to induce hematopoietic chimerism and tolerance in allogeneic models. The aim of our study was to test the capacity of mouse ESC (mESC) to engraft in rats in a xenotransplantation setting. Forty-six rats were transplanted intravenously with 1 million mESC, without immunosuppression (group 1, n = 23) or with cyclosporine (group 2, n = 23). Three months after mESC transplantation, skin grafts were performed from allogeneic, xenogeneic identical to mESC, or xenogeneic third party donors. At day 27 post-transplant, we detected circulating mouse cells in the blood of 4/23 and 5/23 animals of group 1 and group 2, respectively. Chimerism was confirmed by PCR. We also identified long-term surviving murine cells within livers of chimeric animals. Skin grafts showed no difference in survival between allogeneic and xenogeneic donors. Transplantation of xenogeneic mouse ESC induced short-term chimerism in the blood and persistent tissue chimerism in the liver of recipient rats, but did not induce tolerance to skin grafts. Improved immunosuppressive protocols should be tested to prolong chimerism and allow tolerance.