ABSTRACT
The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. In p.605, the number of the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. Y17H160118) in Funding is incorrect. The correct number should be LY17H160026, which is the approval number of the project, whereas Y17H160118 is the application number of the project.
ABSTRACT
Acute cellular rejection (ACR) remains a major concern after liver transplantation. Predicting and monitoring acute rejection by non-invasive methods are very important for guiding the use of immunosuppressive drugs. Many studies have shown that exosomes and their contents are potential biomarkers for various liver diseases. Here, we identify and validate the role of exosomes and galectin-9 in ACR after liver transplantation. Exosomes were isolated from three sets of paired patients, with and without ACR, and the proteins within the exosomes were isolated and identified. Candidate proteins were then validated using a tissue microarray containing resected liver samples from 73 ACR and 63 non-rejection patients. Finally, protein expression and clinical manifestations were included in Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses. Circulating exosomes were isolated from ACR and non-rejection patients and characterized using transmission electron microscopy and western blotting for CD63/CD81. Western blotting experiments revealed higher levels of galectin-9 protein in circulating exosomes from ACR recipients. Immunohistochemical analysis of the tissue microarray showed that the expression of galectin-9 in resected liver was significantly higher in the ACR group than in the non-rejection group (P<0.05). Higher levels of galectin-9 expression in resected livers were associated with poorer prognosis (P<0.05). Exosome-derived galectin-9 may be a novel predictor of rejection and prognosis after liver transplantation.
ABSTRACT
Acute cellular rejection (ACR) remains a major concern after liver transplantation. Predicting and monitoring acute rejection by non-invasive methods are very important for guiding the use of immunosuppressive drugs. Many studies have shown that exosomes and their contents are potential biomarkers for various liver diseases. Here, we identify and validate the role of exosomes and galectin-9 in ACR after liver transplantation. Exosomes were isolated from three sets of paired patients, with and without ACR, and the proteins within the exosomes were isolated and identified. Candidate proteins were then validated using a tissue microarray containing resected liver samples from 73 ACR and 63 non-rejection patients. Finally, protein expression and clinical manifestations were included in Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses. Circulating exosomes were isolated from ACR and non-rejection patients and characterized using transmission electron microscopy and western blotting for CD63/CD81. Western blotting experiments revealed higher levels of galectin-9 protein in circulating exosomes from ACR recipients. Immunohistochemical analysis of the tissue microarray showed that the expression of galectin-9 in resected liver was significantly higher in the ACR group than in the non-rejection group (P<0.05). Higher levels of galectin-9 expression in resected livers were associated with poorer prognosis (P<0.05). Exosome-derived galectin-9 may be a novel predictor of rejection and prognosis after liver transplantation.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Vitamin D3 and its metabolites have been found to exert immunosuppressive effects both in vivo and in vitro. We investigated the synergistic effect of calcitriol and cyclosporine A (CsA) on lymphocyte proliferation in vitro and graft rejection following rat liver allotransplantations in vivo.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Alloantigen driven, human peripheral mononuclear cells' proliferation and cytokine production capacity were tested in the presence or absence of various concentrations of calcitriol or CsA. In vivo, liver allografts were transplanted in a high responder strain combination (SD to Wistar) rats and combination of subtherapeutical dose of CsA and calcitriol was administered in recipients, whereas the control recipients received single or no immunosuppressant. Proliferation of splenocyte from recipient was tested with mixed lymphocyte reaction. Serum interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) concentrations were measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Combined medication of 10(-9) mol/L calcitriol and 100 ng/ml CsA inhibited human peripheral mononuclear cells' proliferation to alloantigen and the production of IL-2 and IFN-gamma but promoted that of IL-4 and IL-10. Similarly, combination of 250 ng x g(-1) x d(-1) calcitriol and 1.0 mg x g(-1) x d(-1) CsA showed an additive effect in liver transplant model. It restrained splenocyte proliferation to alloantigen from donor and significantly reduced serum concentration of IL-2 and IFN-gamma in recipients. Consequently, allograft rejection in combined medication group was minor (median William's grade was 1.0 vs 3.0 in combined medication group and in the control group, P < 0.05) and the recipients' survival was evidently prolonged [(93.7 +/- 5.8) days vs (12.6 +/- 1.4) days in combined medication group and in the control group, P < 0.01].</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A combination of calcitriol and CsA has an additive effect on limiting lymphocyte proliferation and prolonging liver graft survival. With its additional immunomodulating property, calcitriol is a potent immunosuppressant that can extend the therapeutic window of classical immunomodulators in prevention and treatment of liver graft rejection.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Rats , Calcitriol , Pharmacology , Cells, Cultured , Cyclosporine , Pharmacology , Cytokines , Drug Synergism , Graft Rejection , Liver Transplantation , Mortality , Lymphocyte Activation , NFATC Transcription Factors , Metabolism , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Rats, Wistar , Transplantation, HomologousABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>We investigated the role of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3(1,25-(OH)2D3) in preventing allograft from acute rejection following orthotopic liver transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A rat orthotopic liver transplantation model was used in this study. SD-Wistar rats served as a high responder strain combination. Recipients were subjected to administration of 1,25-(OH)2D3 at dosages ranging from 0.25 microg.kg(-1).d(-1) to 2.5 microg.kg(-1).d(-1). Survival after transplantation as well as pathological rejection grades and IFN-gamma mRNA, IL-10 mRNA transcription intragraft on day 7, and day 30 post-transplantation were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After recipients were treated with 1,25(OH)2D3 at dosages of 0.5 microg.kg(-1).d(-1) or 1.0 microg.kg(-1).d(-1), survivals of recipients were prolonged. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals of survival were 46 - 87 days and 69 - 102 days (both P = 0.0005 vs control group), respectively. On day seven post-transplantation, relative levels of IFN-gamma mRNA transcription were 0.59 +/- 0.12 and 0.49 +/- 0.16, which was higher than the control group (P = 0.005, P = 0.003, respectively). Relative levels of IL-10 mRNA transcription were 0.83 +/- 0.09 and 0.76 +/- 0.09, which was lower than the control group (P = 0.002, P = 0.003, respectively). At a dosage of 0.5 microg.kg(-1).d(-1), the median of pathological rejection grade on day seven and on day thirty post-transplantation were 1.5 and 2.0 in comparison with the CsA-treated group (P = 0.178, P = 0.171, respectively). At a dosage of 0.5 microg.kg(-1).d(-1), the median of pathological rejection grade on day seven and day thirty post-transplantation were 1.5 and 1.5 in comparison with CsA-treated group (P = 0.350, P = 0.693, respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>After each recipient was treated with 1,25-(OH)2D3 at a dosage of (0.5 - 1.0) microg.kg(-1).d(-1), transcription of cytokine intragraft was accommodated effectively and deviated to Th2 type, resulting in alleviation of acute rejection. 1,25-(OH)2D3 can prolong survival of recipient after orthotopic liver transplantation.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Calcitriol , Pharmacology , Physiology , Graft Rejection , Interferon-gamma , Genetics , Interleukin-10 , Genetics , Liver Transplantation , Mortality , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Rats, Wistar , Transcription, GeneticABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relation between the activity of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) and the expression of interferon (IFN)-gamma gene transcription with or without ciclosporin treatment after liver transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed in this study. Group I: syngeneic control (Wistar-to-Wistar); Group II: acute rejection (SD-to-Wistar); Group III: acute rejection treated with ciclosporin by intramuscular route (SD-to-Wistar + ciclosporin). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction were used to analyze NF-kappaB activity of splenocytes and IFN-gamma gene transcription expression of grafted liver with or without ciclosporin treatment after liver transplantation. Histopathological examination was also used in this study.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Low NF-kappaB activity was only detected at day 5 and day 7 in Wistar-to-Wistar group after transplantation, meanwhile low IFN-gamma mRNA expression was detected at any time in this group. In contrast, high NF-kappaB activity was detected in SD-to-Wistar group and high level IFN-gammamRNA expression was detected at all time points in this group. The activity of NF-kappaB and IFN-gammamRNA expression were significantly inhibited in SD-to-Wistar + ciclosporin group which was significantly lower than that of SD-to-Wistar group (P < 0.001). A good correlation was found between activity of NF-kappaB and IFN-gamma mRNA expression in this study (r=0.815, P <0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The change of expression IFN-gamma mRNA is at least partially due to the activity change of NF-kappaB after orthotopic liver transplantation. CsA down-regulates NF-kappaB activity and further inhibit IFN-gamma gene transcription.</p>