[Expression of Notch1 on peripheral lymphocytes before and after acute graft rejection following renal transplantation].
OBJECTIVE
To study the changes in Notch1 expression on peripheral lymphocytes after acute graft rejection after renal transplantation.


METHODS
Twenty renal transplant recipients experiencing acute graft rejection and 20 without acute rejection were enrolled in this study. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of Notch1 on peripheral lymphocytes of the patients before operation, at the occurrence of acute rejection and after anti-rejection therapy. The rates of Notch1-positive lymphocytes measured at different time points were compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
In patients with acute graft rejection, Notch1 expression at the time of rejection onset was significantly higher than that before operation (t=4.245, P=0.000) and that of patients with graft rejection (t=3.839, P=0.000), and was obviously decreased after anti-rejection therapy (t=3.102, P=0.004). Patients without graft rejection showed no significant changes in Notch1 expression after the transplantation (P=0.409). Notch1 expression was comparable between the recipients receiving Tac therapy and those with CsA therapy (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Monitoring Notch1 expression on the peripheral lymphocytes after renal transplantation may help in the diagnosis of acute graft rejection and prediction of the effect of an anti-rejection therapy.
Zhu
Ming-de
MD
Department of Organ Transplantation, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. zmdky@163.com
Yu
Li-xin
LX
Xu
Jian
J
Du
Chuan-fu
CF
Fu
Shao-jie
SJ
Deng
Wen-feng
WF
Wang
Yi-bin
YB
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051881:Receptor, Notch1 / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; C497761:NOTCH1 protein, human; D051881:Receptor, Notch1