Prospective assessment of antidonor cellular alloreactivity is a tool for guidance of immunosuppression in kidney transplantation

Kidney Int. 2013 Dec;84(6):1226-36. doi: 10.1038/ki.2013.236. Epub 2013 Jun 19.

Abstract

Current characterization of the immune risk in renal transplant patients is only focused on the assessment of preformed circulating alloantibodies; however, alloreactive memory T cells are key players in mediating allograft rejection. Immune monitoring of antidonor alloreactive memory/effector T cells using an IFN-γ Elispot has been shown to distinguish patients at risk for immune-mediated graft dysfunction, suggesting a potential tool for immunosuppression individualization. In this nonrandomized study, we prospectively assessed donor and nondonor T-cell alloreactivity in 60 highly alloreactive patients receiving calcineurin inhibitor-based immunosuppression and in non-T-cell alloreactive transplant recipients treated with a calcineurin inhibitor-free regimen. The impact was evaluated using 1-year allograft outcome. We found a strong association between ongoing antidonor T-cell alloreactivity and histological lesions of acute T cell-mediated rejection in 6-month protocol biopsies, distinguishing those patients with better 1-year graft function, regardless of immunosuppression regimen. Interestingly, evidence for enhanced immune regulation, driven by circulating Foxp3-demethylated regulatory T cells, was only observed among patients achieving antidonor T-cell hyporesponsiveness. Thus, prospective evaluation of donor-specific T-cell sensitization may add crucial information on the alloimmune state of transplanted patients to be used in daily clinical practice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Biopsy
  • DNA Methylation
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay
  • Female
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Graft Rejection / diagnosis
  • Graft Rejection / immunology
  • Graft Rejection / prevention & control*
  • Graft Survival / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular / drug effects*
  • Immunologic Memory / drug effects*
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interferon-gamma Release Tests
  • Isoantigens / immunology*
  • Kidney Transplantation* / adverse effects
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pilot Projects
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • FOXP3 protein, human
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • IFNG protein, human
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Isoantigens
  • Interferon-gamma