Beta7 integrins contribute to skin graft rejection.

Because integrins alpha4beta7 and alphaEbeta7 contribute to epidermotropism of T-cells during skin inflammation, we sought to study their role in skin allograft rejection.Wild-type (WT) (beta7+/+) and beta7 gene knockout (beta7-/-) C57BL/6 (H-2(b)) mice and SJL/J (H-2(s)) mice served as donors and recipients of allogeneic skin grafts. An anti-integrin beta7 subunit mAb (FIB504.64) was used to treat WT beta7+/+ C57BL/6 recipients of skin grafts from SJL/J mice.WT C57BL/6 recipients acutely rejected skin from SJL/J mice in 13 days. In contrast, the survival of SJL/J skin on either beta7-/- gene knockout or WT C57BL/6 recipients treated with anti-beta7 subunit mAb, was prolonged by 6 to 7 additional days (P0.05).Beta7 integrins contribute to skin graft rejection, in accord with their role in mediating the epidermotropism of T-cells during skin inflammation.