Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Introduction
The cellular events that contribute to generation of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) post-kidney transplantation (KTx) are not well understood. Characterization of such mechanisms could allow tailoring of immunosuppression to benefit sensitized patients.Methods
We prospectively monitored circulating T follicular helper (cTFH) cells in KTx recipients who received T-cell depleting (thymoglobulin, n = 54) or T-cell nondepleting (basiliximab, n = 20) induction therapy from pre-KTx to 1 year post-KTx and assessed their phenotypic changes due to induction and DSA occurrence, in addition to healthy controls (n = 13), for a total of 307 blood samples.Results
Before KTx, patients displayed comparable levels of resting, central memory cTFH cells with similar polarization to those of healthy controls. Unlike basiliximab induction, thymoglobulin induction significantly depleted cTFH cells, triggered lymphopenia-induced proliferation that skewed cTFH cells toward increased Th1 polarization, effector memory, and elevated programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)int/hi expression, resembling activated phenotypes. Regardless of induction, patients who developed DSA post-KTx, harbored pre-KTx donor-reactive memory interleukin (IL)-21+ cTFH cells and showed higher % cTFH and lower % of T regulatory (TREG) cells post-KTx resulting in elevated cTFH:TREG ratio at DSA occurrence.Conclusion
Induction therapy distinctly shapes cTFH cell phenotype post-KTx. Monitoring cTFH cells before and after KTx may help detect those patients prone to DSA generation post-KTx.
SUBMITTER: Macedo C
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6409398 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Kidney international reports 20181208 3
<h4>Introduction</h4>The cellular events that contribute to generation of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) post-kidney transplantation (KTx) are not well understood. Characterization of such mechanisms could allow tailoring of immunosuppression to benefit sensitized patients.<h4>Methods</h4>We prospectively monitored circulating T follicular helper (cT<sub>FH</sub>) cells in KTx recipients who received T-cell depleting (thymoglobulin, <i>n</i> = 54) or T-cell nondepleting (basiliximab, < ...[more]