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Bacich D, Tessari C, Ciccarelli G, Lucertini G, Cerutti A, Pradegan N, Toscano G, Di Salvo G, Gambino A, Gerosa G. A Comprehensive Excursus of the Roles of Echocardiography in Heart Transplantation Follow-Up. J Clin Med 2024; 13:3205. [PMID: 38892916 PMCID: PMC11172807 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13113205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Current guidelines for the care of heart transplantation recipients recommend routine endomyocardial biopsy and invasive coronary angiography as the cornerstones in the surveillance for acute rejection (AR) and coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Non-invasive tools, including coronary computed tomography angiography and cardiac magnetic resonance, have been introduced into guidelines without roles of their own as gold standards. These techniques also carry the risk of contrast-related kidney injury. There is a need to explore non-invasive approaches providing valuable information while minimizing risks and allowing their application independently of patient comorbidities. Echocardiographic examination can be performed at bedside, serially repeated, and does not carry the burden of contrast-related kidney injury and procedure-related risk. It provides comprehensive assessment of cardiac morphology and function. Advanced echocardiography techniques, including Doppler tissue imaging and strain imaging, may be sensitive tools for the detection of minor myocardial dysfunction, thus providing insight into early detection of AR and CAV. Stress echocardiography may offer a valuable tool in the detection of CAV, while the assessment of coronary flow reserve can unravel coronary microvascular impairment and add prognostic value to conventional stress echocardiography. The review highlights the role of Doppler echocardiography in heart transplantation follow-up, weighting advantages and limitations of the different techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Bacich
- Cardiac Surgery Unit, Department of Cardio-Thoracic-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (G.C.); (G.L.); (N.P.); (G.T.); (A.G.); (G.G.)
| | - Chiara Tessari
- Cardiac Surgery Unit, Department of Cardio-Thoracic-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (G.C.); (G.L.); (N.P.); (G.T.); (A.G.); (G.G.)
| | - Giulia Ciccarelli
- Cardiac Surgery Unit, Department of Cardio-Thoracic-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (G.C.); (G.L.); (N.P.); (G.T.); (A.G.); (G.G.)
| | - Giovanni Lucertini
- Cardiac Surgery Unit, Department of Cardio-Thoracic-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (G.C.); (G.L.); (N.P.); (G.T.); (A.G.); (G.G.)
| | - Alessia Cerutti
- Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (A.C.); (G.D.S.)
| | - Nicola Pradegan
- Cardiac Surgery Unit, Department of Cardio-Thoracic-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (G.C.); (G.L.); (N.P.); (G.T.); (A.G.); (G.G.)
| | - Giuseppe Toscano
- Cardiac Surgery Unit, Department of Cardio-Thoracic-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (G.C.); (G.L.); (N.P.); (G.T.); (A.G.); (G.G.)
| | - Giovanni Di Salvo
- Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (A.C.); (G.D.S.)
| | - Antonio Gambino
- Cardiac Surgery Unit, Department of Cardio-Thoracic-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (G.C.); (G.L.); (N.P.); (G.T.); (A.G.); (G.G.)
| | - Gino Gerosa
- Cardiac Surgery Unit, Department of Cardio-Thoracic-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (G.C.); (G.L.); (N.P.); (G.T.); (A.G.); (G.G.)
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Pearson BG, Walker DH, Lea AS, Khalife W, Kislingbury KK, Lick SD, Boor PJ. Early, rapidly progressive vasculopathy in a transplanted heart: A possible complication of COVID-19. Cardiovasc Pathol 2024; 72:107661. [PMID: 38801983 DOI: 10.1016/j.carpath.2024.107661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The epidemic caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had a significant global impact, especially on immunosuppressed populations such as heart transplant recipients. While SARS-CoV-2 initially infects the respiratory system, cardiovascular complications induced by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) include cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, heart failure, myocarditis, arrhythmia, acute myocyte injury, thrombotic events, and cardiogenic shock. Here, we present a case of a 45-year-old African American male who tested positive for COVID-19 infection six months after receiving a heart transplant. The patient was asymptomatic initially, but two weeks later he developed dyspnea, early satiety, and abdominal bloating. The patient was admitted to the hospital for acute renal failure and subsequently diagnosed with moderate acute T cell-mediated allograft rejection (Grade 2R) by endomyocardial biopsy. Three months after testing positive for COVID-19, the patient suffered a sudden cardiac death. At autopsy, the epicardium was diffusely edematous and showed vascular congestion. The coronary arteries showed a striking concentric narrowing of lumens and diffusely thickened arterial walls of all major extramural arteries deemed consistent with a rapidly progressive form of cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein was localized by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in endothelial cells of venules and capillaries within the epicardium. Our localization of SARS-CoV-2 in coronary vessel endothelial cells by IHC suggests that endothelial cell infection, endotheliitis, and immune-related inflammation may be a primary mechanism of vascular injury. The present case represents an early onset rapidly progressive form of CAV. This case may be the first case of post-transplant arteriopathy occurring in such a short time that includes corresponding autopsy, surgical pathology, and IHC data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan G Pearson
- John Sealy School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, USA.
| | - David H Walker
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Alfred S Lea
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Wissam Khalife
- Department of Cardiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Karen K Kislingbury
- Department of Cardiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Scott D Lick
- Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Paul J Boor
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, USA
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Chen W, Toda E, Takeuchi K, Sawa Y, Wakamatsu K, Kuwahara N, Ishikawa A, Igarashi Y, Terasaki M, Kunugi S, Terasaki Y, Yamada K, Terashima Y, Shimizu A. Disulfiram treatment suppresses antibody-producing reactions by inhibiting macrophage activation and B cell pyrimidine metabolism. Commun Biol 2024; 7:488. [PMID: 38649462 PMCID: PMC11035657 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06183-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibody responses, involving B cells, CD4 + T cells, and macrophages, are implicated in autoimmune diseases and organ transplant rejection. We have previously shown that inhibiting FROUNT with disulfiram (DSF) suppresses macrophage activation and migration, effectively treating inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of DSF in antibody-producing reactions. Using a heart transplantation mouse model with antibody-mediated rejection, we administered anti-CD8 antibody to exclude cellular rejection. DSF directly inhibited B cell responses in vitro and significantly reduced plasma donor-specific antibodies and graft antibody deposition in vivo, resulting in prolonged survival of the heart graft. DSF also mediated various effects, including decreased macrophage infiltration and increased Foxp3+ regulatory T-cells in the grafts. Additionally, DSF inhibited pyrimidine metabolism-related gene expression induced by B-cell stimulation. These findings demonstrate that DSF modulates antibody production in the immune response complexity by regulating B-cell and macrophage responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weili Chen
- Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Etsuko Toda
- Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
- Laboratory for Morphological and Biomolecular Imaging, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
- Division of Molecular Regulation of Inflammatory and Immune Diseases, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan.
| | - Kazuhiro Takeuchi
- Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
- Division of Organ Replacement and Xenotransplantation Surgery, Center for Advanced Biomedical Science and Swine Research, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Yurika Sawa
- Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kyoko Wakamatsu
- Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naomi Kuwahara
- Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Arimi Ishikawa
- Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuri Igarashi
- Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mika Terasaki
- Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinobu Kunugi
- Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Kazuhiko Yamada
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yuya Terashima
- Division of Molecular Regulation of Inflammatory and Immune Diseases, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan
| | - Akira Shimizu
- Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
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Fouza A, Tagkouta A, Daoudaki M, Stangou M, Fylaktou A, Bougioukas K, Xochelli A, Vagiotas L, Kasimatis E, Nikolaidou V, Skoura L, Papagianni A, Antoniadis N, Tsoulfas G. Exploring Perturbations in Peripheral B Cell Memory Subpopulations Early after Kidney Transplantation Using Unsupervised Machine Learning. J Clin Med 2023; 12:6331. [PMID: 37834974 PMCID: PMC10573378 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12196331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND B cells have a significant role in transplantation. We examined the distribution of memory subpopulations (MBCs) and naïve B cell (NBCs) phenotypes in patients soon after kidney transplantation. Unsupervised machine learning cluster analysis is used to determine the association between the cellular phenotypes and renal function. METHODS MBC subpopulations and NBCs from 47 stable renal transplant recipients were characterized by flow cytometry just before (T0) and 6 months after (T6) transplantation. T0 and T6 measurements were compared, and clusters of patients with similar cellular phenotypic profiles at T6 were identified. Two clusters, clusters 1 and 2, were formed, and the glomerular filtration rate was estimated (eGFR) for these clusters. RESULTS A significant increase in NBC frequency was observed between T0 and T6, with no statistically significant differences in the MBC subpopulations. Cluster 1 was characterized by a predominance of the NBC phenotype with a lower frequency of MBCs, whereas cluster 2 was characterized by a high frequency of MBCs and a lower frequency of NBCs. With regard to eGFR, cluster 1 showed a higher value compared to cluster 2. CONCLUSIONS Transplanted kidney patients can be stratified into clusters based on the combination of heterogeneity of MBC phenotype, NBCs and eGFR using unsupervised machine learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariadni Fouza
- Department of Transplant Surgery, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, General Hospital “Hippokratio”, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (L.V.); (N.A.); (G.T.)
| | - Anneta Tagkouta
- Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, University Campus, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
- Department of Hygiene, Social-Preventive Medicine & Medical Statistics, Medical School, University Campus, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Maria Daoudaki
- Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, University Campus, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Maria Stangou
- 1st Department of Nephrology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration General Hospital, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (M.S.); (E.K.); (A.P.)
| | - Asimina Fylaktou
- Department of Immunology, National Peripheral Histocompatibility Center, Hippokration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.F.); (A.X.); (V.N.)
| | - Konstantinos Bougioukas
- Department of Hygiene, Social-Preventive Medicine & Medical Statistics, Medical School, University Campus, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Aliki Xochelli
- Department of Immunology, National Peripheral Histocompatibility Center, Hippokration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.F.); (A.X.); (V.N.)
| | - Lampros Vagiotas
- Department of Transplant Surgery, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, General Hospital “Hippokratio”, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (L.V.); (N.A.); (G.T.)
| | - Efstratios Kasimatis
- 1st Department of Nephrology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration General Hospital, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (M.S.); (E.K.); (A.P.)
| | - Vasiliki Nikolaidou
- Department of Immunology, National Peripheral Histocompatibility Center, Hippokration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (A.F.); (A.X.); (V.N.)
| | - Lemonia Skoura
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Aikaterini Papagianni
- 1st Department of Nephrology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration General Hospital, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (M.S.); (E.K.); (A.P.)
| | - Nikolaos Antoniadis
- Department of Transplant Surgery, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, General Hospital “Hippokratio”, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (L.V.); (N.A.); (G.T.)
| | - Georgios Tsoulfas
- Department of Transplant Surgery, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, General Hospital “Hippokratio”, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (L.V.); (N.A.); (G.T.)
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5
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Smirnova NF, Riemondy K, Bueno M, Collins S, Suresh P, Wang X, Patel KN, Cool C, Königshoff M, Sharma NS, Eickelberg O. Single-cell transcriptome mapping identifies a local, innate B cell population driving chronic rejection after lung transplantation. JCI Insight 2022; 7:156648. [PMID: 36134664 PMCID: PMC9675462 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.156648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is the main reason for poor outcomes after lung transplantation (LTx). We and others have recently identified B cells as major contributors to BOS after LTx. The extent of B cell heterogeneity and the relative contributions of B cell subpopulations to BOS, however, remain unclear. Here, we provide a comprehensive analysis of cell population changes and their gene expression patterns during chronic rejection after orthotopic LTx in mice. Of 11 major cell types, Mzb1-expressing plasma cells (PCs) were the most prominently increased population in BOS lungs. These findings were validated in 2 different cohorts of human BOS after LTx. A Bhlhe41, Cxcr3, and Itgb1 triple-positive B cell subset, also expressing classical markers of the innate-like B-1 B cell population, served as the progenitor pool for Mzb1+ PCs. This subset accounted for the increase in IgG2c production within BOS lung grafts. A genetic lack of Igs decreased BOS severity after LTx. In summary, we provide a detailed analysis of cell population changes during BOS. IgG+ PCs and their progenitors — an innate B cell subpopulation — are the major source of local Ab production and a significant contributor to BOS after LTx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia F Smirnova
- Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Institut des Maladies Métaboliques et Cardiovasculaires (I2MC) - INSERM U1297, University of Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | - Kent Riemondy
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Marta Bueno
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Susan Collins
- Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Pavan Suresh
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Xingan Wang
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kapil N Patel
- Center for Advanced Lung Disease and Lung Transplantation, University of South Florida/Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Carlyne Cool
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Melanie Königshoff
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nirmal S Sharma
- Center for Advanced Lung Disease and Lung Transplantation, University of South Florida/Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Oliver Eickelberg
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Assessing the Relationship Between Molecular Rejection and Parenchymal Injury in Heart Transplant Biopsies. Transplantation 2022; 106:2205-2216. [PMID: 35968995 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000004231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The INTERHEART study (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT02670408) used genome-wide microarrays to detect rejection in endomyocardial biopsies; however, many heart transplants with no rejection have late dysfunction and impaired survival. We used the microarray measurements to develop a molecular classification of parenchymal injury. METHODS In 1320 endomyocardial biopsies from 645 patients previously studied for rejection-associated transcripts, we measured the expression of 10 injury-induced transcript sets: 5 induced by recent injury; 2 reflecting macrophage infiltration; 2 normal heart transcript sets; and immunoglobulin transcripts, which correlate with time. We used archetypal clustering to assign injury groups. RESULTS Injury transcript sets correlated with impaired function. Archetypal clustering based on the expression of injury transcript sets assigned each biopsy to 1 of 5 injury groups: 87 Severe-injury, 221 Late-injury, and 3 with lesser degrees of injury, 376 No-injury, 526 Mild-injury, and 110 Moderate-injury. Severe-injury had extensive loss of normal transcripts (dedifferentiation) and increase in macrophage and injury-induced transcripts. Late-injury was characterized by high immunoglobulin transcript expression. In Severe- and Late-injury, function was depressed, and short-term graft failure was increased, even in hearts with no rejection. T cell-mediated rejection almost always had parenchymal injury, and 85% had Severe- or Late-injury. In contrast, early antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) had little injury, but late ABMR often had the Late-injury state. CONCLUSION Characterizing heart transplants for their injury state provides new understanding of dysfunction and outcomes and demonstrates the differential impact of T cell-mediated rejection versus ABMR on the parenchyma. Slow deterioration from ABMR emerges as a major contributor to late dysfunction.
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Qin YF, Kong DJ, Qin H, Zhu YL, Li GM, Sun CL, Zhao YM, Wang HD, Hao JP, Wang H. Melatonin Synergizes With Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Attenuates Chronic Allograft Vasculopathy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:672849. [PMID: 33995416 PMCID: PMC8116651 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.672849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic rejection characterized by chronic allograft vasculopathy (CAV) remains a major obstacle to long-term graft survival. Due to multiple complicated mechanisms involved, a novel therapy for CAV remains exploration. Although mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been ubiquitously applied to various refractory immune-related diseases, rare research makes a thorough inquiry in CAV. Meanwhile, melatonin (MT), a wide spectrum of immunomodulator, plays a non-negligible role in transplantation immunity. Here, we have investigated the synergistic effects of MT in combination with MSCs in attenuation of CAV. Methods C57BL/6 (B6) mouse recipients receiving BALB/c mouse donor aorta transplantation have been treated with MT and/or adipose-derived MSCs. Graft pathological changes, intragraft immunocyte infiltration, splenic immune cell populations, circulating donor-specific antibodies levels, cytokine profiles were detected on post-operative day 40. The proliferation capacity of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, populations of Th1, Th17, and Tregs were also assessed in vitro. Results Grafts in untreated recipients developed a typical pathological feature of CAV characterized by intimal thickening 40 days after transplantation. Compared to untreated and monotherapy groups, MT in combination with MSCs effectively ameliorated pathological changes of aorta grafts indicated by markedly decreased levels of intimal hyperplasia and the infiltration of CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, and macrophages, but elevated infiltration of Foxp3+ cells. MT either alone or in combination with MSCs effectively inhibited the proliferation of T cells, decreased populations of Th1 and Th17 cells, but increased the proportion of Tregs in vitro. MT synergized with MSCs displayed much fewer splenic populations of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, Th1 cells, Th17 cells, CD4+ central memory T cells (Tcm), as well as effector memory T cells (Tem) in aorta transplant recipients. In addition, the percentage of splenic Tregs was substantially increased in the combination therapy group. Furthermore, MT combined with MSCs markedly reduced serum levels of circulating allospecific IgG and IgM, as well as decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17A, and MCP-1, but increased the level of IL-10 in the recipients. Conclusions These data suggest that MT has synergy with MSCs to markedly attenuate CAV and provide a novel therapeutic strategy to improve the long-term allograft acceptance in transplant recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-fei Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - De-jun Kong
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hong Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yang-lin Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Guang-ming Li
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Cheng-lu Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yi-ming Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hong-da Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing-peng Hao
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
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8
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Xiu MX, Liu YM, Wang WJ. Investigation of hub genes and immune status in heart transplant rejection using endomyocardial biopsies. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 25:763-773. [PMID: 33230903 PMCID: PMC7812257 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell‒mediated rejection (TCMR) and antibody‐mediated rejection (ABMR) are severe post‐transplantation complications for heart transplantation (HTx), whose molecular and immunological pathogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, the mRNA microarray data set GSE124897 containing 645 stable, 52 TCMR and 144 ABMR endomyocardial biopsies was obtained to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between rejected and stable HTx samples and to investigate immune cell infiltration. Functional enrichment analyses indicated roles of the DEGs primarily in immune‐related mechanisms. Protein‐protein interaction networks were then constructed, and ICAM1, CD44, HLA‐A and HLA‐B were identified as hub genes using the maximal clique centrality method. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed differences in adaptive and innate immune cell populations between TCMR, ABMR and stable HTx samples. Additionally, hub gene expression levels significantly correlated with the degree and composition of immune cell infiltration in HTx rejection samples. Furthermore, drug‐gene interactions were constructed, and 12 FDA‐approved drugs were predicted to target hub genes. Finally, an external GSE2596 data set was used to validate the expression of the hub genes, and ROC curves indicated all four hub genes had promising diagnostic value for HTx rejection. This study provides a comprehensive perspective of molecular and immunological regulatory mechanisms underlying HTx rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Xi Xiu
- Medical School of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yuan-Meng Liu
- Medical School of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Wen-Jun Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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9
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Cai J, Deng J, Gu W, Ni Z, Liu Y, Kamra Y, Saxena A, Hu Y, Yuan H, Xiao Q, Lu Y, Xu Q. Impact of Local Alloimmunity and Recipient Cells in Transplant Arteriosclerosis. Circ Res 2020; 127:974-993. [PMID: 32689904 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.119.316470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Transplant arteriosclerosis is the major limitation to long-term survival of solid organ transplantation. Although both immune and nonimmune cells have been suggested to contribute to this process, the complex cellular heterogeneity within the grafts, and the underlying mechanisms regulating the disease progression remain largely uncharacterized. OBJECTIVE We aimed to delineate the cellular heterogeneity within the allografts, and to explore possible mechanisms underlying this process. METHODS AND RESULTS Here, we reported the transcriptional profiling of 11 868 cells in a mouse model of transplant arteriosclerosis by single-cell RNA sequencing. Unbiased clustering analyses identified 21 cell clusters at different stages of diseases, and focused analysis revealed several previously unknown subpopulations enriched in the allografts. Interestingly, we found evidence of the local formation of tertiary lymphoid tissues and suggested a possible local modulation of alloimmune responses within the grafts. Intercellular communication analyses uncovered a potential role of several ligands and receptors, including Ccl21a and Cxcr3, in regulating lymphatic endothelial cell-induced early chemotaxis and infiltration of immune cells. In vivo mouse experiments confirmed the therapeutic potential of CCL21 and CXCR3 neutralizing antibodies in transplant arteriosclerosis. Combinational use of genetic lineage tracing and single-cell techniques further indicate the infiltration of host-derived c-Kit+ stem cells as heterogeneous populations in the allografts. Finally, we compared the immune response between mouse allograft and atherosclerosis models in single-cell RNA-seq analysis. By analyzing susceptibility genes of disease traits, we also identified several cell clusters expressing genes associated with disease risk. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides a transcriptional and cellular landscape of transplant arteriosclerosis, which could be fundamental to understanding the initiation and progression of this disease. CCL21/CXCR3 was also identified as important regulators of immune response and may serve as potential therapeutic targets in disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Cai
- From the Center of Pharmacology (J.C., Y.L., H.Y., Y.L.), The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiacheng Deng
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, China (J.D., W.G., Y.H., Q.X.).,School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, King's College BHF Centre, London, United Kingdom (J.D., W.G., Z.N.)
| | - Wenduo Gu
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, China (J.D., W.G., Y.H., Q.X.).,School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, King's College BHF Centre, London, United Kingdom (J.D., W.G., Z.N.)
| | - Zhichao Ni
- School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, King's College BHF Centre, London, United Kingdom (J.D., W.G., Z.N.)
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- From the Center of Pharmacology (J.C., Y.L., H.Y., Y.L.), The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yogesh Kamra
- Genomics Research Platform, Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom (Y.K., A.S.)
| | - Alka Saxena
- Genomics Research Platform, Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom (Y.K., A.S.)
| | - Yanhua Hu
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, China (J.D., W.G., Y.H., Q.X.)
| | - Hong Yuan
- From the Center of Pharmacology (J.C., Y.L., H.Y., Y.L.), The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Cardiology (H.Y.), The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qingzhong Xiao
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, China (J.D., W.G., Y.H., Q.X.).,Centre for Clinical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom (Q. Xiao, Q. Xu)
| | - Yao Lu
- From the Center of Pharmacology (J.C., Y.L., H.Y., Y.L.), The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qingbo Xu
- Centre for Clinical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom (Q. Xiao, Q. Xu)
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