ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the predictive and diagnostic value of absolute value and function of different lymphocyte subsets in evaluating the risk of early viral infection after kidney transplantation. Methods Ninety-five kidney transplant recipients were enrolled in this prospective observational cohort study, and divided into the stable group (n=77) and infection group (n=18) according to postoperative immune status. Peripheral blood samples were collected for flow cytometry before operation, and 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months and 6 months after operation. The dynamic changes of the absolute values of CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells and natural killer (NK) cells were compared between two groups. The function of lymphocyte subsets in two groups was evaluated by detecting the proportion of interferon (IFN)-γ+CD4+T cells, IFN-γ+CD8+T cells and IFN-γ+NK cells. The value of the absolute values and function of lymphocyte subsets in predicting and diagnosing viral infection in the early stage after kidney transplantation was evaluated. Results During viral infection, the absolute values of CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells and NK cells in the infection group were at a relatively low level. At 2 months after operation, the absolute values of CD4+T cells and NK cells in the infection group were lower than those in the stable group. At 6 months after operation, the absolute values of CD4+T cells and CD8+T cells in the infection group were significantly lower compared with those in the stable group (all P < 0.05). During viral infection, the proportion of IFN-γ+CD4+T cells, IFN-γ+CD8+T cells and IFN-γ+NK cells in the infection group were all at a relatively low level, especially that of IFN-γ+CD8+T cells decreased most significantly. At postoperative 2 months, the proportion of IFN-γ+CD8+T cells and IFN-γ+NK cells in the infection group was significantly higher than those in the stable group. At 6 months after operation, the proportion of IFN-γ+CD4+T cells and IFN-γ+CD8+T cells in the infection group was significantly higher than those in the stable group (all P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the increasing proportion of IFN-γ+CD8+T cells and IFN-γ+NK cells was correlated with the increasing risk of viral infection at 2 months after operation (both P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve demonstrated that the diagnostic value of absolute values of lymphocyte subsets combined with IFN-γ secretion function for viral infection in the immunocompromised recipients was significantly higher than that of absolute values of lymphocyte subsets alone (P < 0.05). Conclusions Dynamic monitoring of the changes of absolute values and function of lymphocyte subsets provides critical reference value for the prediction, diagnosis and medication guidance of viral infection.
ABSTRACT
In recent years, clinical efficacy of pediatric kidney transplantation has been gradually enhanced with persistent progress of organ allocation policy, surgical technologies and perioperative management, etc. However, immunosuppressive management still plays a significant role in the long-term prognosis of pediatric kidney transplant recipients. Due to the disparity from adults in physiology, psychology, immune system and drug metabolism, immunosuppressive management in children should be delivered in a specific manner. Therefore, it is necessary to select appropriate immunosuppresants and formulate individualized immunosuppressive regimens according to the characteristics of pediatric kidney transplant recipients in clinical practice. In this article, the characteristics of immunosuppressive therapy, selection of immunosuppresants, glucocorticoid withdrawal, immune monitoring and medication compliance management of pediatric kidney transplant recipients were investigated, aiming to provide reference for optimizing immunosuppressive management and improving clinical prognosis of pediatric kidney transplant recipients.
ABSTRACT
Kidney transplantation is the most efficacious treatment for end-stage renal failure. Although the shortterm survival and functional recovery of the kidney graft have been significantly improved, the long-term survival of the kidney graft remains to be enhanced. Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) and T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) caused by immune factors are still the most critical causes of kidney graft failure. In this article, the immune risk assessment and monitoring of kidney transplant recipients during the awaiting period, before and after kidney transplantation were reviewed. Through the evaluation of preexisting human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies and non-HLA antibodies, HLA matching, lymphocytotoxicity cross-matching and immune memory cells in the recipients before kidney transplantation, programmed biopsy of the kidney graft of the recipients after kidney transplantation and monitoring of HLA antibodies, non-HLA antibodies and donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA), individualized immunosuppressive treatment and monitoring regimes could be established, and the incidence of rejection could be prevented, timely detected and diagnosed. According to the immune monitoring results, ineffective treatment or over-treatment could be avoided, thereby improving the long-term survival of kidney graft.
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Significativos recursos materiales, financieros y humanos se dedican a la investigación de la biología del cáncer. La validación de biomarcadores, el desarrollo de novedosos métodos para el diagnóstico y la terapia, la implementación de programas de pesquisa a nivel poblacional y la promoción de estilos de vida saludables han impactado positivamente en la prevención y control de este grupo de enfermedades. Sin embargo, el cáncer sigue siendo un problema de salud mundial, entre otros factores, por la compleja relación que se establece entre el sistema inmune del hospedero y las células neoplásicas. Está demostrado que los mecanismos efectores que posee el sistema inmune permiten detectar y eliminar las células transformadas. Sin embargo, estos mismos mecanismos promueven la evolución somática de los tumores, al seleccionar variantes celulares resistentes a la acción de la inmunidad. Esta interacción ocurre fundamentalmente en el microambiente tumoral y ha sido conceptualizada como inmunoedición tumoral. Lo anterior sustenta la racionalidad de la inmunoterapia, la que buscar reforzar la inmunidad antitumoral, a la vez que bloquea los mecanismos de evasión a la inmunovigilancia. Con este trabajo de revisión iniciamos una serie de tres artículos que, en este orden, recorrerán las bases moleculares y celulares de la respuesta inmune antitumoral, presentarán los fundamentos de la biología tumoral y, finalmente, abordarán las implicaciones de la compleja relación entre el sistema inmune y las neoplasias para la inmunoterapia en cáncer
Substantial material, financial and human resources are dedicated to research on tumor biology. The validation of biomarkers, the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic methods, the implementation of early detection programs in communities, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles have positively impacted on the prevention and control of this group of diseases. However, cancer remains a global health problem, due to the complex relationship between the host immune system and the cancer cells. It is a fact that the immune system´s effector mechanisms enable the detection and elimination of cancer cells. However, these immune mechanisms also promote the somatic evolution of tumors by selecting cellular clones resistant to immunity. This complex relationship conceptualized as cancer immunoediting develops mainly at the tumor microenvironment. Immunotherapy approaches are designed to reinforce antitumor immunity, while blocking immune escape mechanisms. This review starts a series of three articles that are going to review the molecular and cellular bases of the antitumor immune response, present the bases of tumor biology and, finally, address the implications of the complex relationship between the immune system and neoplasias for cancer immunotherapy
ABSTRACT
The current cytomegalovirus (CMV) prevention strategies in solid organ transplantation (SOT) recipients have contributed towards overcoming the detrimental effects caused by CMV lytic infection, and improving the long-term success rate of graft survival. Although the quantification of CMV in peripheral blood is the standard method, and an excellent end-point for diagnosing CMV replication and modulating the anti-CMV prevention strategies in SOT recipients, a novel biomarker mimicking the CMV control mechanism is required. CMV-specific immune monitoring can be employed as a basic tool predicting CMV infection or disease after SOT, since uncontrolled CMV replication mostly originates from the impairment of immune responses against CMV under immunosuppressive conditions in SOT recipients. Several studies conducted during the past few decades have indicated the possibility of measuring the CMV-specific cell-mediated immune response in clinical situations. Among several analytical assays, the most advancing standardized tool is the QuantiFERON®-CMV assay. The T-Track® CMV kit that uses the standardized enzyme-linked immunospot assay is also widely employed. In addition to these assays, immunophenotyping and intracellular cytokine analysis using flow cytometry (with fluorescence-labeled monoclonal antibodies or peptide-major histocompatibility complex multimers) needs to be adequately standardized and validated for potential clinical applications.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal , Cytomegalovirus , Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay , Flow Cytometry , Graft Survival , Immunity, Cellular , Immunophenotyping , Major Histocompatibility Complex , Methods , Monitoring, Immunologic , Organ Transplantation , TransplantsABSTRACT
Non-human primate studies must be conducted prior to the clinical trial of xenotransplantation. In order to develop clinically applicable immune-modulatory regimen through non-human primate studies, close monitoring of xenogeneic immune responses is required. We adopted multiplex cytokine analysis in assessment of the immune status during the course of pig-to-non-human primate islet transplantation. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of this multiplex cytokine assay in the development of immune-modulatory regimen. Using this assay, we were able to detect different cytokines with a minimal usage of blood samples, and this allowed us to detect various immunological situations in the recipients. Detection of TNF-alpha surge (347.8 pg/mL) guided us to block TNF-alpha in the early phase of transplantation. Supportive information for in vivo efficacy of cytokine neutralizing antibody could be speculated by in vitro neutralization assay (1,250 pg/mL --> 0 pg/mL). In addition, periodic monitoring of cytokines in peripheral blood allowed the detection of the infection episode prior to other routine assays. These benefits of multiplex cytokine assay may be generally applied to other pre-clinical research, which is a prerequisite for clinical trials.
Subject(s)
Animals , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Blood Cell Count , Cytokines/blood , Immunoassay/methods , Interleukin-6/blood , Islets of Langerhans Transplantation/immunology , Macaca mulatta , Swine , Transplantation, Heterologous , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/bloodABSTRACT
One of the hallmarks of the adaptive immune system is the specificity of B and T cell receptors. Thanks to somatic recombination, a large repertoire of receptors can be generated within an individual that guarantee the recognition of a vast number of antigens. Monoclonal antibodies have limited applicability, given the high degree of diversity among these receptors, in BCR and TCR monitoring. Furthermore, with regard to cancer, better characterization of complex genomes and the ability to monitor tumor-specific cryptic mutations or translocations are needed to develop better tailored therapies. Novel technologies, by enhancing the ability of BCR and TCR monitoring, can help in the search for minimal residual disease during hematological malignancy diagnosis and follow-up, and can aid in improving bone marrow transplantation techniques. Recently, a novel technology known as next generation sequencing has been developed; this allows the recognition of unique sequences and provides depth of coverage, heterogeneity, and accuracy of sequencing. This provides a powerful tool that, along with microarray analysis for gene expression, may become integral in resolving the remaining key problems in hematology. This review describes the state of the art of this novel technology, its application in the immunological and hematological fields, and the possible benefits it will provide for the hematology and immunology community.
Subject(s)
Allergy and Immunology , Antibodies, Monoclonal , Bone Marrow Transplantation , Diagnosis , Gene Expression , Genome , Hematologic Neoplasms , Hematology , Immune System , Microarray Analysis , Monitoring, Immunologic , Neoplasm, Residual , Population Characteristics , Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell , Recombination, Genetic , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Objective To explore the monitoring and the individualized adjustment of cellular immunology function in the recipients infected with pan-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii(PDR-Ab)after liver transplantation.Methods We retrospectively summarized the infection and the prognosis of PDR-Ab in 299 cases of liver transplantation performed from Jan.2008 to May 2010.The absolute number of T lymphocytes and ATP level within CD4+ T cells were monitored,and T cell immunology function(TCIFS)was scored.According to different immunology adjusting proposals,14 cases of PDR-Ab infection were divided into 2 groups:(1)traditional group,routine anti-infective therapy;(2)individualized group.Individualized immunology adjustment was made according to the score of TCIFS besides routine therapy.Results There was no significant difference in age,MELD and Child-pugh score between two groups.The peri-operative bleeding volume in individualized group was more than that in traditional group(P<0.01).There was no significant difference in TCIFS score between two groups at 1st week after transplantation and the onset of the PDR-Ab infection.However,the score in individualized group was apparently higher than that in traditional group when anti-infection therapy ended(P<0.05).The difference in the recovery rate between two groups was significant(P<0.05).No rejection happened in two groups.Conclusion It is an effective way to decrease the mortality of PDR-Ab infection after liver transplantation that the individualized adjustment of immunosuppression protocols is guided by grading quantitatively the cellular immunology function according to the absolute number of T lymphocytes and ATP level within CD4+ T cells.