title: Dendritic cell subset ratio in peripheral blood correlates with successful withdrawal of immunosuppression in liver transplant patients.
abstract: Human dendritic cell (DC) subsets appear to play distinct roles in the induction and regulation of immune responses. While monocytoid DC (DC1) induce T-helper (Th) 1-type responses, plasmacytoid DC (DC2) have been reported to selectively induce Th2 responses. In blood, their precursors (p) can be identified as HLA-DR+ lineage- cells that are further characterized as CD11c+ CD123-/lo (IL-3Ralpha-/lo) (pDC1) or as CD11c- CD123hi (pDC2) by rare event, flow cytometric analysis. We compared the incidences of pDC1 and pDC2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cell populations isolated from normal healthy controls and from 3 groups of clinically stable liver transplant patients. Group A had been successfully withdrawn from immunosuppression, whereas group B were undergoing prospective drug weaning and on minimal anti-rejection therapy. In group C, drug withdrawal had either failed or never been attempted and patients were on maintenance immunosuppression. Assessment of DC subsets and the pDC2 : pDC1 ratio showed good intra-and interassay reproducibility. Compared with patients in group C, those in groups A and B demonstrated a significantly higher relative incidence of pDC2 and a lower incidence of pDC1 - similar to those values observed in normal healthy controls. Moreover, the pDC2 : pDC1 ratio was significantly higher in patients undergoing (successful) weaning and in those off immunosuppression compared with patients on maintenance immunosuppression.
authors.affiliation: Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute and Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: George V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Mazariegos
authors.forename: Alan F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Zahorchak
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ostrowski
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zeevi
authors.forename: Angus W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Thomson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents