Acute Rejection After Liver Transplantation: Is There a Specific Immunological Pattern?

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings 2006-12, Vol.38 (10), p.3594-3596
• Main Authors: Perrella, O., Sbreglia, C., Arenga, G., Perrella, A., Ferrara, A., D’Antonio, A., Di Costanzo, G., Atripaldi, L., Alone, C., Sciano, D., Cuomo, O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Disease; ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 - analysis; ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 - blood; Adult; Antigens, CD - analysis; Antigens, CD - blood; Antigens, CD7 - analysis; Antigens, CD7 - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Cadaver; Cause of Death; CD4 Antigens - analysis; CD4 Antigens - blood; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Graft Rejection - epidemiology; Graft Rejection - pathology; Humans; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit - analysis; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit - blood; Liver Diseases - classification; Liver Diseases - surgery; Liver Function Tests; Liver Transplantation - immunology; Liver Transplantation - pathology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Patient Selection; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Tissue Donors; Tissue, organ and graft immunology
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2006.10.102

The aim of the study was to assess various T-cell subsets and cytokine secretion patterns both in liver tissue and in the peripheral blood of 24 liver transplant patients to assess possible specific immunological involvement in early acute rejection episodes after liver transplantation. Particularly, we studied CD4 +CD7 +, CD8 +CD38 +, and CD4 +CD25 + T cells by flow cytometry, as well as contemporaneously, interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10 secretion by ELISpot to determine possible Th1-like immune responses and the immunomodulation expressed by Treg cells in acute liver rejection, respectively. As a control group we included patients transplanted without acute rejection. Early acute rejection within the first 4 weeks was proven histologically in 42% of patients. It was associated with a greater expression of CD4 +CD7 + and CD8 +CD38 + T cells in the liver than in the blood ( P < .001). A contemporaneous reduced expansion of liver Treg cells was evident in patients with acute rejection ( P < .001). Our data suggested that a preferential Th1-like immune mechanism operated in local fashion as characterized by a decreased presence in the liver and blood of Treg cells.