Serial monitoring of immunological parameters following human hand transplant.
BACKGROUND
Although early successes have been achieved in human hand transplant, the changes of immunological parameters in the recipients and their relations to clinical events were not yet known.


METHODS
In two patients undergoing hand transplantation, we prospectively determined lymphocyte subsets using flow cytometry as well as the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and interferon (IFN)-gamma using enzyme linked immunosorbent assays during the first 6 months after transplantation.


RESULTS
The decreases in CD, CD, CD T cell, the activated T cell (CD/CD, CD/HLA-DR(+)) as well as IL-2, IFN-gamma and corresponding significant peak in IL-10 in human hand transplant during the first post-transplant week were observed. Then these parameters recovered to the pre-transplant level except for an even higher level of CD T cell. The low CD/CD ratio was been maintained constantly. After 7 wk, IL-2, IFN-gamma, and IL-10 decreased to be maintained at a low or undetectable level except for slight increase in IL-10 at post-transplant month 5. There are no significant variation in TNF-alpha early after transplant. After 3 months, IL-10 was not detected again.


CONCLUSIONS
The immunosuppressive agents had significantly effects on the immunological status in human hand transplant recipients. These profiles of immunological parameters would be useful data for the future immunomonitoring in human hand transplant recipients.
Zheng
Xiao-Fei
XF
Orthopaedics Department, Guangzhou, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou, China. doctorzhengxiaofei@hotmail.com
Pei
Guo-Xian
GX
Qiu
Yu-Rong
YR
Zhu
Li-Jun
LJ
Gu
Li-Qiang
LQ
D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D063987:Hand Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D015166:Monitoring, Immunologic; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D016207:Cytokines; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma