Rapamycin treated tol-dendritic cells derived from BM-MSCs reversed graft rejection in a rat liver transplantation model by inducing CD8+CD45RC−Treg

•The donor-derived imDCs has the potent in mediating antigen-specific immunotolerance.•Donor-derived imDCs prolonged allograft survival by increasing the content of Tregs.•Inducing donor-specific CD8+Tregs modified by tolDCs derived from BM-MSCs may a new direction to break through immune tolerance induction.•Rapa modified tolDCs reversed graft rejection by improve tolerance characteristics of CD8+CD45RC−Treg in a rat acute LT.