biostudies-literatureSwijnenburg RJHoward Hughes Medical InstituteNHLBI NIH HHS12991-6https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC2529073biostudies-literatureUnknown105(35)Given their self-renewing and pluripotent capabilities, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are well poised as a cellular source for tissue regeneration therapy. However, the host immune response against transplanted hESCs is not well characterized. In fact, controversy remains as to whether hESCs have immune-privileged properties. To address this issue, we used in vivo bioluminescent imaging to track the fate of transplanted hESCs stably transduced with a double-fusion reporter gene consisting of firefly luciferase and enhanced GFP. We show that survival after transplant is significantly limited in immunocompetent as opposed to immunodeficient mice. Repeated transplantation of hESCs into immunocompetent hosts results in accelerated hESC death, suggesting an adaptive donor-specific immune rProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of AmericaImmunosuppressive therapy mitigates immunological rejection of human embryonic stem cell xenografts.PMC2529073R21 HL089027K08 HL074883R33 HL089027HL074883HL089027Swijnenburg RJSchrepfer SSheikh AYWu JCGovaert JARansohoff KConnolly AJRobbins RCDavis MMCao FHaddad MfalseImmunosuppressive therapy mitigates immunological rejection of human embryonic stem cell xenografts.Given their self-renewing and pluripotent capabilities, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are well poised as a cellular source for tissue regeneration therapy. However, the host immune response against transplanted hESCs is not well characterized. In fact, controversy remains as to whether hESCs have immune-privileged properties. To address this issue, we used in vivo bioluminescent imaging to track the fate of transplanted hESCs stably transduced with a double-fusion reporter gene consisting of firefly luciferase and enhanced GFP. We show that survival after transplant is significantly limited in immunocompetent as opposed to immunodeficient mice. Repeated transplantation of hESCs into immunocompetent hosts results in accelerated hESC death, suggesting an adaptive donor-specific immune r2008-01-01T00:00:00Z2008 Sep2026-03-16T16:23:43.928Z2025-08-30T03:10:20.116ZS-EPMC25290731872818810.1073/pnas.0805802105