Changes in the expression of the immunoglobulin-like transcript 3 (ILT3) and ILT4 receptors in renal allograft recipients: effect of donor and recipient aging.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present study was to investigate the number and phenotype of pre- and posttransplant peripheral blood dendritic cells (DCs) in kidney graft recipients to correlate with CD4(+)CD25(high) Treg and CD8(+)CD28(-) cells. Data were analyzed according to the age of the donor-recipient pairs.


METHODS
A cohort of 49 cadaveric kidney transplant recipients was prospectively studied pretransplant and 6 months posttransplant by three-color flow cytometry with specific monoclonal antibodies. Patients were subgrouped according to age (elderly were considered above 60 years old and young below 55 years old) in the following donor-recipient pairs: aged/aged, young/aged, aged/young, young/young.


RESULTS
At 6 months posttransplant, the proportion of cells tended to increase when the donor was young, regardless of the recipient. Importantly, there was a significant correlation between the numbers of immunoglobulin-like transcript 4(+) DCs and CD4(+)CD25(high) Treg cells before transplantation (r = .476, P = .004) and at 6 months (r = .408, P = .013). A significant association was also observed between ILT4(+) DCs and CD8(+)CD28(-) pretransplant (r = .540, P = .001) and at 12 months posttransplant (r = .609, P = .012).


CONCLUSIONS
Renal grafts from young but not from aged donors seem to induce DC of a tolerogenic phenotype, both in aged and young recipients. These preliminary results suggested that donor age may have consequences in terms of tolerance induction.
Benito
M J
MJ
Servicio de Inmunología, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla-IFIMAV, 39008 Santander, Spain.
Lopez-Hoyos
M
M
Fernandez-Fresnedo
G
G
Ruiz
J C
JC
Benito
A
A
San Segundo
D
D
Gomez-Alamillo
C
C
Arias
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002102:Cadaver; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics*; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; C491341:LILRB2 protein, human; C107907:LILRB4 protein, human; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; C042807:DPP4 protein, human; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4