Administration of donor apoptotic cells: an alternative cell-based therapy to induce tolerance?

Apoptotic cells are endowed with immunomodulatory properties. The authors propose infusing apoptotic cells as a cell-based therapy product to facilitate allogeneic hematopoietic engraftment after a nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen. Such an approach may be used to obtain macrochimerism in combined hematopoietic cells and solid organ transplantation. In this article, the authors describe the mechanisms of combined hematopoietic and organ allograft transplantation and the potential difficulties. The authors discuss how intravenous apoptotic cell infusion may influence the outcome of combined transplantation. This may prove to be an interesting approach for future development in cell therapy.