title: Indications of mycophenolate mofetil in liver transplantation.
abstract: Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is approved for prophylaxis of acute rejection after kidney, heart, and liver transplantation as well as for pediatric patients after kidney transplantation. MMF, a noncompetitive inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), blocks de novo purine synthesis which leads to an effective inhibition of proliferation selectively in T and B lymphocytes, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts. MMF shows additional effects with inhibition of the expression of activating and adhesion molecules on the surface of lymphocytes. The beneficial safety profile with distinct side effects compared to calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) enable efficacious combination with ciclosporin or tacrolimus as de novo therapy after liver transplantation. Furthermore, recent studies show the possibility to reduce CNI induced toxicities by adding MMF to primary immunosuppression. MMF is also used to enable early steroid withdrawal after liver transplantation. MMF can increase efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy and thereby support the treatment of steroid resistant acute rejections, chronic rejections and chronic graft dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Charité Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany. jochen.klupp@charite.de
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klupp
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pfitzmann
authors.forename: Jan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Langrehr
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neuhaus
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D016559:Tacrolimus