title: Role of platelets in the modulation of kidney allograft recipients' immune systems.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Renal transplantation is the most effective method of treatment in end-stage renal disease. Chronic allograft rejection still remains a challenge for transplant physicians. Despite a growing amount of data regarding the role of platelets (PLT) in immunological processes, few reports have correlated number of platelets with transplanted kidney function. We aimed to evaluate the correlation between number of circulating platelets and number of immune system cells, including lymphocytes CD 4+, CD8+, lymphocytes B, monocytes, NK cells, and lymphocytes T reg in kidney transplant recipients with stable graft function.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 100 kidney transplant recipients (ages 20-78 years) 10 month to 10 years after transplantation. The numbers of platelets (using standard procedure) and immune blood cells were evaluated using flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was performed with Spearman rank correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a negative correlation between number of platelets and number of lymphocytes T reg, and a positive correlation between platelet count and number of other examined immunocompetent cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of PLT correlates with number of cells responsible for induction and effector mechanisms of acquired cellular response.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Transplantation, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland. jsien@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sieńko
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotowski
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Safranow
authors.forename: Edyta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paczkowska
authors.forename: Bartosz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wojciuk
authors.forename: Jarosław
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piątek
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ossowski
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiśniewska
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ostrowski
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jasiczek
authors.forename: Bogusław
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Machaliński
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D064591:Allografts; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D010976:Platelet Count; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014527:Uric Acid; D014508:Urea