Teratocarcinomas Arising from Allogeneic Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiac Tissue Constructs Provoked Host Immune Rejection in Mice

Transplantation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac tissue constructs is a promising regenerative treatment for cardiac failure: however, its tumourigenic potential is concerning. We hypothesised that the tumourigenic potential may be eliminated by the host immune response after allogeneic cell transplantation. Scaffold-free iPSC-derived cardaic tissue sheets of C57BL/6 mouse origin were transplanted into the cardiac surface of syngeneic C57BL/6 mice and allogeneic BALB/c mice with or without tacrolimus injection. Syngeneic mice and tacrolimus-injected immunosuppressed allogeneic mice formed teratocarcinomas with identical phenotypes, characteristic and time courses, as assessed by imaging tools including 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography. In contrast, temporarily immunosuppressed allogeneic mice, following cessation of tacrolimus injection displayed diminished progression of the teratocarcinoma, accompanied by an accumulation of CD4/CD8-positive T cells and finally achieved complete elimination of the teratocarcinoma. Our results indicated that malignant teratocarcinomas arising from induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac tissue constructs provoked T cell-related host immune rejection to arrest tumour growth in murine allogeneic transplantation models.