Comparative Study of Immunodeficient Rat Strains in Engraftment of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Airway Epithelia

The airway epithelia (AE) play a role in the clearance of foreign substances through ciliary motility and mucus secreted. We developed an artificial trachea that is made of collagen sponges and polypropylene mesh for the regeneration of the tracheal defect, and it was used for a clinical study. Then, a model in which the luminal surface of an artificial trachea was covered with a human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived AE (hiPSC-AE) was transplanted into the tracheal defect of nude rats to promote epithelialization. In the future, this model was expected to be applied to research on infectious diseases and drug discovery as a trachea-humanized rat model. However, at present, sufficient engraftment has not been achieved to evaluate functional recovery in transplanted cells. Therefore, this study focused on immunosuppression in recipient rats. Nude rats lack T cell function and are widely used for transplantation experiments; however, more severe immunosuppressed recipients are preferred for xenotransplantation. Several strains of immunodeficient rats were created as rats that exhibit more severe immunodeficiency until now. In this study, to establish a trachea-humanized rat model in which human AE function can be analyzed to improve engraftment efficiency, engraftment efficiency in nude rats and X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (X-SCID) rats following hiPSC-AE transplantation was compared. In the analysis of the proportion of engrafted cells in total cells at the graft site, the engraftment efficiency of epithelial cells tended to be high in X-SCID rats, although no statistical difference was found between the two groups, whereas the engraftment efficiency of mesenchymal cells was higher in X-SCID rats. Furthermore, the number of immune cells that accumulated in the grafts showed that a pan T cell marker, that is, CD3-positive cells, did not differ between the two strains; however, CD45-positive cells and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-positive cells significantly decreased in X-SCID rats. These results indicate that X-SCID rats are more useful for the transplantation of hiPSC-AE into the tracheae to generate trachea-humanized rat models. Impact statementThe models to investigate the pathological mechanism and effect of medicines are important. In tracheae, since cells are constantly exposed to the airflow in respiration, replicating in vivo conditions with cultured cells in vitro is difficult. Therefore, to establish a trachea-humanized rat, a model in which human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived airway epithelia were transplanted into the tracheal defect of nude rats was generated. To use this model as a trachea-humanized model, higher engraftment efficiency is required. This study indicated that X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency rats are superior to nude rats as recipients. These results will contribute to the establishment of trachea-humanized rats.

Automated summary

This study aimed to establish a trachea-humanized rat model in which human airway epithelial cells can be analyzed, and compared the engraftment efficiency in nude rats and X-SCID rats following hiPSC-AE transplantation. The results showed that X-SCID rats had better engraftment efficiency, providing important guidance for the establishment of trachea-humanized rat models.