title: T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) in relation to acute cardiac allograft rejection.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to quantify T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) in blood mononuclear cells of cardiac transplant recipients and to investigate a possible relationship between TREC levels and rejection episodes. In addition, we investigated the correlation of TREC levels with age and also compared the levels between transplant recipients and healthy individuals. TREC levels were assessed by quantitative competitive PCR in 70 blood samples from 27 graft recipients and in 66 blood samples from 66 healthy individuals. The results showed: (1) higher TREC levels during rejection than during rejection-free periods (medians 9.0 vs. 0.3; p<0.001); (2) no suggestion of correlation with doses of prednisone or time after transplantation; (3) a negative correlation between TREC levels and age; and (4) lower TREC levels in cardiac recipients than in age-matched healthy controls. The value of blood TREC level measurements as an approach to rejection monitoring warrants future investigation.
authors.affiliation: Immunogenetics Division, Department of Pediatrics, UNIFESP, Rua Napoleão de Barros, São Paulo, Brazil. andrey@igen.epm.br
authors.forename: Andrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morgun
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shulzhenko
authors.forename: Adalberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Socorro-Silva
authors.forename: Rosiane V Z
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.forename: Dirceu R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gerbase-Delima
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004270:DNA, Circular / Q000032:analysis*; D019672:Genes, T-Cell Receptor; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004270:DNA, Circular; D011241:Prednisone