ABSTRACT
The development of immunosuprressants has had a significant contribution to inhibition of acute allograft rejection. However, long-term graft survival has not been realized by immunosuppressants, probably because of their nonspecific suppression of T cell activity and nonimmune side effects. The ideal way to overcome the limitations of current immunosuppressants is to induce allograft-specific immune tolerance. Transplant immunologists are exerting their efforts in achieving transplantation tolerance using three different approaches; mixed hematopoietic chimerism, costimulatory blockade, and regulation by regulatory T cells. It is expected that transplantation tolerance will soon be established as a standard immunosuppressive regimen with little side effects in preventing and reversing allograft rejection.
Subject(s)
Allografts , Chimerism , Graft Survival , Immune Tolerance , Immunosuppressive Agents , T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory , Transplantation ToleranceABSTRACT
The development of immunosuprressants has had a significant influence on inhibition of acute allograft rejection. However, long-term graft survival has not been achieved by immunosuppressants, probably because of their nonspecific suppression of T cell activity and nonimmune side effects. The ideal way to overcome the limitations of current immunosuppressants is to induce allograft-specific immune tolerance. Transplant immunologists are exerting their efforts in achieving transplantation tolerance using four different approaches; costimulatory blockade, mixed hematopoietic chimerism, T cell depletion, and regulation by regulatory T cells. It is expected that transplantation tolerance will soon be established as a standard immunosuppressive regimen with little side effects in preventing and reversing allograft rejection.