Repeated immune and non immune insults to the graft after heart transplantation

Immunol Lett. 2011 Dec 30;141(1):18-27. doi: 10.1016/j.imlet.2011.07.004. Epub 2011 Jul 22.

Abstract

The clinical transplantation outcome is related to both effects of immunological and non immunological factors degenerating into hyperacute, acute and chronic rejection. Modern immunosuppressive treatments have resolved most events linked to acute rejection while long-term survival still remains the major problem after heart transplantation. The goal of personalized immunosuppressive therapy is to prevent rejection without inducing toxic effects. The aim of future studies could be to clarify the pathogenesis of chronic rejection and develop new and less toxic therapeutic approaches to induce "tolerance" to the graft without major side effects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Age Factors
  • Chronic Disease
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / complications
  • Diabetes Complications
  • Donor Selection
  • Endothelial Cells / immunology
  • Female
  • Graft Rejection* / immunology
  • Graft Rejection* / metabolism
  • Graft Rejection* / prevention & control
  • HLA Antigens / analysis
  • HLA Antigens / immunology
  • Heart Transplantation* / immunology
  • Heart Transplantation* / pathology
  • Histocompatibility / immunology
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Immunosuppression Therapy / methods*
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / pharmacology
  • Ischemia / complications
  • Male
  • Neoplasms / complications
  • Tissue and Organ Harvesting
  • Transplantation Tolerance / drug effects
  • Transplantation Tolerance / immunology*

Substances

  • HLA Antigens
  • Immunosuppressive Agents