title: FoxP3 positive T cells in graft biopsies from living donor kidney transplants after donor-specific transfusions.
abstract: Donor-specific transfusions (DST) induce allograft tolerance in animals. Evidence is growing that FoxP3+ regulatory T cells are associated with tolerance in humans. Forty-four biopsies from 69 living donor kidney transplant recipients (LDT) after DST, 53 biopsies from 69 matched deceased donor transplant recipients (DDT), obtained for graft dysfunction, and 12 biopsies from LDT without DST were retrospectively analyzed. FoxP3 positivity was more frequent in LDT/DST than in DDT biopsies (67% vs. 44%, P=0.02). Considering only biopsies with acute rejection, FoxP3 positivity was observed in 92% (11/12) after LDT/DST, but only in 50% (6/12) after DDT (P=0.03). The number of FoxP3+ T cells per total infiltrating cells in rejection biopsies was higher (P<0.05) from LDT/DST (4.1%) than from DDT or LDT (2.6%) without DST (2.5%). Six-year graft survival was better in patients with LDT/DST than with DDT (87.5% vs. 79.7%, P=0.04). The present investigation demonstrates an association between DST and FoxP3+ T cells. The effect of DST on regulatory T cells deserves further analysis in transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Hospital Bern, Switzerland. ute.eisenberger@insel.ch
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Eisenberger
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seifried
authors.forename: Natacha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patey
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kappeler
authors.forename: Laure-Hélène
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Noel
authors.forename: Felix J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.forename: Meike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Körner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors