Peri-graft porcine-specific CD4+ FoxP3+ regulatory T cells by CD40-CD154 blockade prevented the rejection of porcine islet graft in diabetic mice.

In this study, we showed that anti-CD154 mAb monotherapy resulted in indefinite porcine islet graft survival in mice. The porcine-specific CD4+ Foxp3+ Treg s in the peri-graft site played the critical role in the protection of islet graft from rejection, which suggests a prospective immunosuppressive strategy for islet xenotransplantation.