Elevated number of IL-21+ TFH and CD86+CD38+ B cells in blood of renal transplant recipients with AMR under conventional immuno-suppression

• Published in: International journal of immunopathology and pharmacology 2022-09, Vol.36, p.20587384211048027
• Main Authors: Liu, Jing, Tang, Tongyu, Qu, Zhihui, Wang, Li, Si, Rui, Wang, Haifeng, Jiang, Yanfang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Disease; ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 - immunology; Adult; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; B7-2 Antigen - immunology; Biomarkers - blood; CD19 antigen; CD27 antigen; CD38 antigen; CD4 antigen; CD86 antigen; Cell differentiation; CXCR5 protein; End-stage renal disease; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Female; Flow cytometry; Graft rejection; Graft Rejection - blood; Graft Rejection - immunology; Humans; Immunoglobulin D; Immunosuppression Therapy; Interleukin 21; Interleukins - immunology; Kidney diseases; Kidney Failure, Chronic - therapy; Kidney Transplantation; Kidney transplants; Lymphocytes B; Male; Middle Aged; Original; PD-1 protein; Plasma cells; T Follicular Helper Cells - immunology; Transplant Recipients
• ISSN: 0394-6320; 2058-7384; 2058-7384
• DOI: 10.1177/20587384211048027

The objective of this study is to detect the number of different subsets of TFH and B cells in renal transplant recipients (RTR) with antibody-mediated acute rejection (AMR), acute rejection (AR), chronic rejection (CR), or transplant stable (TS). The present study was a prospective study. The numbers of ICOS +, PD-1+ and IL-21+ TFH, CD86+, CD38+, CD27+, and IgD- B cells in 21 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and post-transplant times were measured by flow cytometry. The level of serum IL-21 was detected by ELISA. The numbers of circulating CD4+CXCR5+, CD4+CXCR5+ICOS+, CD4+CXCR5+PD-1+, CD4+CXCR5+IL-21+ TFH, CD19+CD86+, and CD19 +CD86+CD38+ B cells as well as the level of serum IL-21 in the AMR, AR, and CR groups at post-transplantation were significantly higher than those at pre-transplantation. In contrast, the number of circulating CD19+CD27+IgD B cells was significantly increased in the TS groups in respect to the other groups. Moreover, the numbers of circulating CD4+CXCR5+IL-21+ TFH cells, CD19+CD86+CD38+ B cells as well as the level of serum IL-21 were positive related to the level of serum Cr while showing negative correlated with the values of eGFR in the AMR groups at post-transplantation for 4 and 12 weeks. Circulating TFH cells may be a biomarker in RTR with AMR, which can promote the differentiation of B cells into plasma cells by activating B cells, thereby promoting disease progression.