Non-HLA T-cell reactivity during the first year after HLA-identical living-related kidney transplantation.
BACKGROUND
It has been reported that donor-reactive T-cell responses may decrease during the first year after HLA-mismatched organ transplantation. We wondered whether donor-reactive T-cell responses directed to minor histocompatibility antigens (mHAgs) or other non-HLA antigens also decrease after HLA-identical living-related (LR) kidney transplantation.


METHODS
We studied donor-reactive T-cell responses by IFN-gamma and granzyme B (GrB) Elispot assays in 15 HLA-identical LR kidney transplant recipients before, six months and one yr after transplantation. Third-party reactivity was used as control. Patient and donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells were typed for 11 known mHAgs.


RESULTS
During the study period, 60% and 36% of the patients demonstrated donor-reactive IFN-gamma and GrB producing cells (pc), respectively. The number of donor-reactive IFN-gamma and GrB pc was significantly lower than the number of third-party reactive IFN-gamma and GrB pc. After transplantation, donor-reactivity and third-party reactivity were comparable to pre-transplant values. No relation was found in mHAg mismatches between donor and recipient and donor-reactive T-cell response.


CONCLUSIONS
Donor-reactivity could be detected before and after HLA-identical LR kidney transplantation, but was not related with the number of mHAg mismatches, and did not decrease after transplantation.
Gerrits
Jeroen H
JH
Department of Internal Medicine-Transplantation, Erasmus Medical Center-University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
van de Wetering
Jacqueline
J
Drabbels
Jos J
JJ
IJzermans
Jan N M
JN
Claas
Frans H J
FH
Weimar
Willem
W
van Besouw
Nicole M
NM
D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D053804:Granzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D006680:HLA Antigens; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D007371:Interferon-gamma; C509213:GZMB protein, human; D053804:Granzymes