Porcine PD‐L1: cloning, characterization, and implications during xenotransplantation

Abstract

Cloned porcine PD-L1 showed high sequence homology with human PD-L1 and a similar molecular structure. Moreover, porcine PD-L1 inhibited human CD4(+) T cell activation in human PD-1-dependent manner, and this involved activated T cell apoptosis. The authors suggest that PD-1-PD-L1 might play an important endogenous immune regulatory role during xenogeneic transplantation, and that the effective application of this system would improve transplanted xenogeneic organ survival.