title: Association of CD20+ infiltrates with poorer clinical outcomes in acute cellular rejection of renal allografts.
abstract: We undertook a study to ascertain the relationship between the presence of CD20-positive B-lymphocytes in renal allografts undergoing acute cellular rejection and graft survival. We identified 27 patients transplanted between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2001, with biopsy-proven Banff 1-A or Banff 1-B rejection in the first year after transplantation, and stained the specimens for CD20 and C4d. At least 4 years of follow-up data were available for each patient studied. Six patients had CD20-positive B-cell clusters in the interstitium, and 21 patients were negative for CD20 infiltrates. The CD20-positive group was significantly more likely to have steroid-resistant rejection and reduced graft survival compared to CD20-negative controls. This study supports prospective identification of CD20-positive B-cell clusters in biopsy-proven rejection and offers a therapeutic rationale for a trial of monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA. bhippen@uab.edu
authors.forename: Benjamin E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Hippen
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: DeMattos
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Clifton E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kew
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Gaston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D015935:Complement C4b / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D015935:Complement C4b; C032261:complement C4d