Tolerance and the "Holy Grail" of transplantation.
Advances in transplantation biology have greatly improved patient outcomes following transplant surgery. However, generalized immunosuppression remains the Achilles heel of modern transplantation surgery with its associated infectious and neoplastic morbidities. Tolerance remains the ultimate goal for the entire field. Although recent advances in transplant immunology suggest that tolerance may be achievable in the near future, the complex and redundant nature of the human immune system may not allow us to circumvent such a basic function as the recognition of nonself. In this paper, advances in transplant immunology are reviewed and their potential relevance to achieving the "Holy Grail" of transplantation are discussed.
Schroeder
Rebecca A
RA
Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Marroquin
Carlos E
CE
Kuo
Paul C
PC
D016207:Cytokines; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006648:Histocompatibility; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018183:Transplantation Chimera; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D016207:Cytokines; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents