Rapamycin increased development of CD4+ CD25high Foxp3+T cells of peripheral blood in liver transplant recipients / 中华器官移植杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the possible influence of immunosuppressive therapy,including sirolimus (SRL) and calcineurin inhibitors (CNI, tacrolimus), on level of Treg in the liver allo-graft recipients, Methods Forty-seven liver transplant recipients with stable liver function were assessed for at least 2 years, and divided into two groups one composed of 15 patients receiving SRL,and another, of those receiving CNI (32 patients with tacrolimus). Thirty-eight age-matched healthy subjects (HS) were used as normal controls. We examined the expression of CD4, CD25, and Foxp3 in peripheral blood monouclear cells. Treg of every group was analyzed using Cell Quest software.Results SRL significantly increased the prevalence of CD4+ CD25high T cells, compared with HS and CNI group. The prevalence of CD4+ CD25high T cells of CNIs group was significantly lower than that of HS. The percentage of CD4+ CD25high T cells in the total CD4+ T cells was 1.88 % (1.56 %-2. 60 %), 1. 15 % (0. 57 %-l. 48 %) and 0. 84 % (0. 46 %-1. 45 %) in SRL, NS and CNI group,respectively (P<0. 01 or P<0. 05). Foxp3 was expressed in more than 95 % of CD4 + CD25high T cells and less than 20 % of CD4+ CD25low T cells, whereas not expressed in CD4+ CD25- T cells.Conclusion Different immunosuppressive therapy (SRL or CNI) might have different roles in tolerance induction in liver transplant recipients. Namely, SRL promoted the induction of allo-antigen tolerance, but CNI hampered the progression.