title: In vitro cytokine changes after pediatric liver transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with chronic liver disease have been shown to have impaired immune statuses. Liver transplantation (LT) is the standard treatment for end-stage liver disease patients and immunosuppressive drugs are commonly used to prevent graft rejection. There is an increasing evidence of de novo food allergies post LT.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the cytokine response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of pediatric LT recipients before and six months after transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  PBMCs collected before and six months after LT were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), tacrolimus (Tac), dexamethasone (Dex), and a combination of BLG and Dex (B+D), BLG and Tac (B+T), BLG and Tac plus Dex (B+T+D). Culture supernatants were measured for IL-5, IFN-γ and IL-10. Blood for liver function tests, complete blood counts, total IgE and specific IgE (sIgE) to cow's milk were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of five pediatric LT recipients were enrolled in the study. There were no food allergy cases. Total IgE and sIgE to cow's milk decreased significantly after LT. After transplantation, there was a significant increase in IL-5, IFN-γ and IL-10 in culture supernatants of PHA-stimulated PBMCs. Among different stimulations in post transplantation's PBMCs, the level of IL-5 significantly increased in B+D was suppressed with the combination of B+T+D. The level of IL-10 significantly increased in all conditions containing BLG both before and after transplantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was an improvement of the in vitro-cytokine responses after liver transplantations. Immunosuppressive drugs used in post transplantation had an effect on the cytokine responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Wiparat
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Manuyakorn
authors.forename: Ratchaneewan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sinitkul
authors.forename: Suporn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Treepongkaruna
authors.forename: Wasu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kamchaisatian
authors.forename: Soamarat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vilaiyuk
authors.forename: Supanart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srisala
authors.forename: Suwat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benjaponpitak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006789:Host vs Graft Reaction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000819:agonists* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000819:agonists* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000819:agonists* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007782:Lactoglobulins / Q000494:pharmacology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C508609:IL10 protein, human; C508599:IL5 protein, human; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015848:Interleukin-5; D007782:Lactoglobulins; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D003907:Dexamethasone; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016559:Tacrolimus