title: Clinical significance of monitoring circulating CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in kidney transplantation during the early posttransplant period.
abstract: The CD4(+)CD25(+) T regulatory cells (Tregs) play an important role in immune tolerance in experimental transplantation but the clinical significance of circulating Tregs in the peripheral blood is undetermined. In 50 kidney transplant (KT) recipients, 29 healthy controls and 32 liver transplant (LT) recipients, the frequency of Tregs was measured with flow cytometry before and after transplantation. In the KT recipients, IL-10 secretion was measured with an enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay. The median frequency of circulating Tregs before KT was similar to that in healthy controls but significantly lower than that in LT patients before transplantation. The frequency of Tregs was significantly decreased in patients with subclinical acute rejection compared with those without subclinical acute rejection. Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) and anti-CD25 antibody decreased the frequency of Tregs but mTOR inhibitor did not. The frequency of donor-specific IL-10 secreting cells did not correlate with the number of Tregs. The frequency of circulating Tregs in KT recipients is strongly affected by CNIs and anti-CD25 antibody, and a low frequency of Tregs is associated with subclinical acute rejection during the early posttransplant period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Su Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun-Jee
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Jung Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ghee
authors.forename: Hyun Kuk
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Dong He
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Hye Eun
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Bum Soon
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Seung Kew
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Jong Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: In Sung
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Dong Goo
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chul Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009398:Nephrology / Q000379:methods*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D016753:Interleukin-10