Long time follow up of CD28- CD4+ T cells in living kidney transplant patients.
We previously reported that the CD28(-) CD4(+) T cell subpopulation was expanded in the kidney allograft patients with long graft survival, although these T cells were rarely found in patients with graft survival <5 yr. To understand the CD28(-) CD4(+) T cells in the long-term acceptance of kidney allografts, we examined functions of this population and performed a 4 yr follow up study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were obtained from 47 long-term living related kidney allograft recipients. CD28(+) CD4(+) and CD28(-) CD4(+) T cells purified by cell sorting were analyzed for expression of V(beta) repertoire. Donor-specific response was examined in mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). A follow up study with long-term kidney allograft patients was performed for 4 yr about the rate of CD28(-) CD4(+) T cells. Eleven patients were examined by MLRs against donors and third party. Four patients with a marked increase of CD28(-) CD4(+) T cells showed the donor-specific responses appeared to be lower when compared with third party-specific responses. Freshly sorted CD28(-) CD4(+) T cells showed a restricted V(beta) repertoire, whereas the V(beta) usage of CD28(+) CD4(+) T cells from the same patients was much diversified. Such difference in V(beta) repertoire was not evident between the two populations from healthy control. A follow up study showed the ratio of CD28(-) CD4(+) T cells appeared to be lower in patients who were suspected of chronic rejection. These unusual CD4(+) T cells might be related to the long-term acceptance of human transplant allografts.
Kato
M
M
Department of Urology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Japan.
Ono
Y
Y
Kinukawa
T
T
Hattori
R
R
Kamihira
O
O
Ohshima
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D019520:Living Donors; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D018106:CD28 Antigens; D015704:CD4 Antigens