Evidence that functional deletion of donor-reactive T lymphocytes in kidney allograft recipients can occur at the level of cytotoxic T cells, IL-2-producing T cells, or both. A limiting dilution study.
The frequencies of circulating donor-reactive cytotoxic lymphocyte precursors (CLP) and Il-2-producing helper lymphocyte precursors (HLP) were determined by limiting dilution analysis in 19 kidney allograft recipients before and at various intervals (up to 2 years) after transplantation. A significant, selective, and stable reduction of the frequencies of donor-reactive (but not of third party-reactive) CLP and/or HLP was observed in some patients beginning 3 to 6 months after transplantation. One patient developed reduced frequency of CLP only, 3 patients reduced frequencies of HLP only, and 2 patients reduced frequencies of both CLP and HLP. The selective reduction of donor-reactive CLP and/or HLP frequencies ranged from 5-25-fold when compared with the pretransplantation level and was associated with stable graft function. These data indicate that functional deletion of circulating donor-reactive T cells can occur at the level of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, Il-2-producing helper T lymphocytes, or both. Implications of these findings for the individualization of immunosuppressive regimens will be discussed.
Zanker
B
B
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulm, Germany.
Jooss-Rüdiger
J
J
Franz
H E
HE
Wagner
H
H
Kabelitz
D
D
D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000502:physiology*; D014019:Tissue Donors
D007376:Interleukin-2