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Bellamy COC, O'Leary JG, Adeyi O, Baddour N, Batal I, Bucuvalas J, Del Bello A, El Hag M, El-Monayeri M, Farris AB, Feng S, Fiel MI, Fischer SE, Fung J, Grzyb K, Guimei M, Haga H, Hart J, Jackson AM, Jaeckel E, Khurram NA, Knechtle SJ, Lesniak D, Levitsky J, McCaughan G, McKenzie C, Mescoli C, Miquel R, Minervini MI, Nasser IA, Neil D, O'Neil MF, Pappo O, Randhawa P, Ruiz P, Fueyo AS, Schady D, Schiano T, Sebagh M, Smith M, Stevenson HL, Taner T, Taubert R, Thung S, Trunecka P, Wang HL, Wood-Trageser M, Yilmaz F, Zen Y, Zeevi A, Demetris AJ. Banff 2022 Liver Group Meeting report: Monitoring long-term allograft health. Am J Transplant 2024; 24:905-917. [PMID: 38461883 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajt.2024.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
The Banff Working Group on Liver Allograft Pathology met in September 2022. Participants included hepatologists, surgeons, pathologists, immunologists, and histocompatibility specialists. Presentations and discussions focused on the evaluation of long-term allograft health, including noninvasive and tissue monitoring, immunosuppression optimization, and long-term structural changes. Potential revision of the rejection classification scheme to better accommodate and communicate late T cell-mediated rejection patterns and related structural changes, such as nodular regenerative hyperplasia, were discussed. Improved stratification of long-term maintenance immunosuppression to match the heterogeneity of patient settings will be central to improving long-term patient survival. Such personalized therapeutics are in turn contingent on a better understanding and monitoring of allograft status within a rational decision-making approach, likely to be facilitated in implementation with emerging decision-support tools. Proposed revisions to rejection classification emerging from the meeting include the incorporation of interface hepatitis and fibrosis staging. These will be opened to online testing, modified accordingly, and subject to consensus discussion leading up to the next Banff conference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher O C Bellamy
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland and Department of Pathology, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland.
| | - Jacqueline G O'Leary
- Dallas VA Medical Center & University of Texas, Southwestern, Department of Medicine, Dallas Texas, USA
| | - Oyedele Adeyi
- University of Minnesota Medical School, Department of Pathology, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Nahed Baddour
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Ibrahim Batal
- Pathology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Alton B Farris
- Pathology, Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sandy Feng
- UCSF Health, Department of Surgery, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Maria Isabel Fiel
- Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - John Fung
- Uchicago Medicine, Department of Surgery, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Maha Guimei
- Armed Forces College of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - John Hart
- Uchicago Medicine, Department of Pathology, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | | | - Nigar A Khurram
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Drew Lesniak
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Rosa Miquel
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marta I Minervini
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Imad Ahmad Nasser
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Desley Neil
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
| | - Maura F O'Neil
- University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Orit Pappo
- Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Parmjeet Randhawa
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Phillip Ruiz
- University of Miami Hospital, Miami, Florida, USA
| | | | | | - Thomas Schiano
- Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Maxwell Smith
- Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | | | - Timucin Taner
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Richard Taubert
- Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Swan Thung
- Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Pavel Trunecka
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine (IKEM), Prague, Czechia
| | - Hanlin L Wang
- Pathology, UCLA Health, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Michelle Wood-Trageser
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Funda Yilmaz
- Pathology, University of Ege, Imir, Bornova, Turkey
| | - Yoh Zen
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Adriana Zeevi
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Bosselmann EA, Engel B, Hartleben B, Wedemeyer H, Jaeckel E, Maasoumy B, Potthoff A, Zender S, Taubert R. Prospective comparison of liver stiffness measurement methods in surveillance biopsies after liver transplantation. FRONTIERS IN TRANSPLANTATION 2023; 2:1148195. [PMID: 38993851 PMCID: PMC11235307 DOI: 10.3389/frtra.2023.1148195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Background Liver stiffness measurements (LSMs) have proven useful for non-invasive detection of fibrosis. Previous studies of LSMs after transplantation were performed in cohorts dominated by hepatitis C reinfections and indication biopsies for the evaluation of graft dysfunction. However, the diagnostic fidelity of LSMs for fibrosis is biased by inflammation e.g., during replicative hepatitis C or rejection. Materials and methods The current study aimed for a head-to-head comparison of two different LSMs, acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) and transient elastography (TE), and a determination of cut-off values for the detection of advanced fibrosis (any LAF score component ≥2) in grafts undergoing surveillance biopsies (svLbx) without recurrent hepatitis C. Results 103 svLbx were paired with valid LSMs at time of biopsy. AUROC analyses showed significant positive correlation with fibrosis for both methods (TE: AUROC = 0.819 (p < 0.001; 95%CI: 0.717-0.921); ARFI: AUROC = 0.771 (p = 0.001; 95%CI: 0.652-0.890). Patients were randomly assigned to training and validation cohorts for both LSM methods. Cut-off values were determined at 1.29 m/s (ARFI) and at 7.5 kPa (TE) in training cohorts. Sensitivity and specificity in training and validation cohorts were: TE: SEN 0.818 and 0.5; SPE 0.742 and 0.885; ARFI: SEN 0.818 and 1.0; SPE 0.75 and 0.586. LSMs were not associated with BANFF criteria for relevant graft injury. Conclusion LSM is a good non-invasive tool to screen for advanced graft fibrosis but not for relevant graft injury in patients with (near) normal liver enzymes. Fibrosis cut-off values identified and validated in svLbx were lower than in previous cohorts using indication biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Bosselmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bastian Engel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Björn Hartleben
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Benjamin Maasoumy
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andrej Potthoff
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Steffen Zender
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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Ravichandran R, Itabashi Y, Zhou F, Lin Y, Mohanakumar T, Chapman WC. Circulating exosomes from brain death and cardiac death donors have distinct molecular and immunologic properties: A pilot study. Clin Transplant 2023; 37:e15067. [PMID: 37428019 PMCID: PMC11019898 DOI: 10.1111/ctr.15067] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Comparison of donation after brain death (DBD) and donation after cardiac death (DCD) lung tissue before transplantation have demonstrated activation of pro-inflammatory cytokine pathway in DBD donors. The molecular and immunological properties of circulating exosomes from DBD and DCD donors were not previously described. METHODS We collected plasma from 18 deceased donors (12 DBD and six DCD). Cytokines were analyzed by 30-Plex luminex Panels. Exosomes were analyzed for liver self-antigen (SAg), Transcription Factors and HLA class II (HLA-DR/DQ) using western blot. C57BL/6 animals were immunized with isolated exosomes to determine strength and magnitude of immune responses. Interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α producing cells were quantified by ELISPOT, specific antibodies to HLA class II antigens were measured by ELISA RESULTS: We demonstrate increased plasma levels of IFNγ, EGF, EOTAXIN, IP-10, MCP-1, RANTES, MIP-β, VEGF, and interleukins - 6/8 in DBD plasma versus DCD. MiRNA isolated from exosome of DBD donors demonstrated significant increase in miR-421, which has been reported to correlate with higher level of Interleukin-6. Higher levels of liver SAg Collagen III (p = .008), pro-inflammatory transcription factors (NF-κB, p < .05; HIF1α, p = .021), CIITA (p = .011), and HLA class II (HLA-DR, p = .0003 and HLA-DQ, p = .013) were detected in exosomes from DBD versus DCD plasma. The circulating exosomes isolated from DBD donors were immunogenic in mice and led to the development of Abs to HLA-DR/DQ. CONCLUSIONS This study provides potential new mechanisms by which DBD organs release exosomes that can activate immune pathways leading to cytokine release and allo-immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yoshihiro Itabashi
- Norton Thoracic Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ
| | - Fangyu Zhou
- Division of General Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Yiing Lin
- Division of General Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | | | - William C. Chapman
- Division of General Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
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Song Z, Han H, Ge X, Das S, Desert R, Athavale D, Chen W, Komakula SSB, Lantvit D, Nieto N. Deficiency of neutrophil high-mobility group box-1 in liver transplant recipients exacerbates early allograft injury in mice. Hepatology 2023; 78:771-786. [PMID: 37016762 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Early allograft dysfunction (EAD) is a severe event leading to graft failure after liver transplant (LT). Extracellular high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) is a damage-associated molecular pattern that contributes to hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). However, the contribution of intracellular HMGB1 to LT graft injury remains elusive. We hypothesized that intracellular neutrophil-derived HMGB1 from recipients protects from post-LT EAD. APPROACH AND RESULTS We generated mice with conditional ablation or overexpression of Hmgb1 in hepatocytes, myeloid cells, or both. We performed LTs and injected lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to evaluate the effect of intracellular HMGB1 in EAD. Ablation of Hmgb1 in hepatocytes and myeloid cells of donors and recipients exacerbated early allograft injury after LT. Ablation of Hmgb1 from liver grafts did not affect graft injury; however, lack of Hmgb1 from recipient myeloid cells increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation in liver grafts and exacerbated injury. Neutrophils lacking HMGB1 were more activated, showed enhanced pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory signatures, and reduced biosynthesis and metabolism of inositol polyphosphates (InsPs). On LT reperfusion or LPS treatment, there was significant neutrophil mobilization and infiltration into the liver and enhanced production of ROS and pro-inflammatory cytokines when intracellular Hmgb1 was absent. Depletion of neutrophils using anti-Ly6G antibody attenuated graft injury in recipients with myeloid cell Hmgb1 ablation. CONCLUSIONS Neutrophil HMGB1 derived from recipients is central to regulate their activation, limits the production of ROS and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and protects from early liver allograft injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuolun Song
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Hui Han
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Xiaodong Ge
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sukanta Das
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Romain Desert
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Dipti Athavale
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Daniel Lantvit
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Natalia Nieto
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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5
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Engel B, Görzer I, Campos-Murguia A, Hartleben B, Puchhammer-Stöckl E, Jaeckel E, Taubert R. Association of torque teno virus viremia with liver fibrosis in the first year after liver transplantation. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1215868. [PMID: 37533865 PMCID: PMC10392936 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1215868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Torque teno virus (TTV) replication is controlled by immune status, mirroring a degree of immunosuppression after solid organ transplantation. TTV viraemia (TTVv) was associated with acute cellular rejection and infection within the first year after liver transplantation (LT). Long-term data on TTV after LT and correlation with graft injury from protocol biopsies are limited. Methods One hundred plasma samples paired with graft biopsies from a prospective single-center biorepository were analyzed. Results The median time post-LT was 23 months (range, 2-298). TTVv was detectable in 97%. TTVv decreased over time after LT and showed a significant decline from year 1 to later time points. Hence, TTVv correlated negatively with histologic liver fibrosis (liver allograft fibrosis and Ishak scores) and positively with the overall immunosuppression degree quantified by an immunosuppression score in the first year after LT. There was no association with dosages or trough levels of single immunosuppressants. The pharmacodynamic marker TTVv did not correlate with pharmacokinetic assessments of immunosuppression degree [calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) trough levels or immunosuppressant dosages]-our clinical gold standards to guide immunosuppressive therapy. TTVv was independently associated with histologically proven liver fibrosis after LT in the first year after LT in multivariate analysis. Discussion The independent association of histological graft fibrosis with lower TTVv in year 1 underscores that a pharmacodynamic marker would be preferable to individualize immunosuppression after LT. However, a high variability of TTVv at the low immunosuppression doses given after the first year precludes TTV as a clinically useful marker after LT in the long-term liver transplant recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Engel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Irene Görzer
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alejandro Campos-Murguia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Björn Hartleben
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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6
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Montano-Loza AJ, Rodríguez-Perálvarez ML, Pageaux GP, Sanchez-Fueyo A, Feng S. Liver transplantation immunology: Immunosuppression, rejection, and immunomodulation. J Hepatol 2023; 78:1199-1215. [PMID: 37208106 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Outcomes after liver transplantation have continuously improved over the past decades, but long-term survival rates are still lower than in the general population. The liver has distinct immunological functions linked to its unique anatomical configuration and to its harbouring of a large number of cells with fundamental immunological roles. The transplanted liver can modulate the immunological system of the recipient to promote tolerance, thus offering the potential for less aggressive immunosuppression. The selection and adjustment of immunosuppressive drugs should be individualised to optimally control alloreactivity while mitigating toxicities. Routine laboratory tests are not accurate enough to make a confident diagnosis of allograft rejection. Although several promising biomarkers are being investigated, none of them is sufficiently validated for routine use; hence, liver biopsy remains necessary to guide clinical decisions. Recently, there has been an exponential increase in the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors due to the unquestionable oncological benefits they provide for many patients with advanced-stage tumours. It is expected that their use will also increase in liver transplant recipients and that this might affect the incidence of allograft rejection. Currently, the evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in liver transplant recipients is limited and cases of severe allograft rejection have been reported. In this review, we discuss the clinical relevance of alloimmune disease, the role of minimisation/withdrawal of immunosuppression, and provide practical guidance for using checkpoint inhibitors in liver transplant recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldo J Montano-Loza
- Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
| | - Manuel L Rodríguez-Perálvarez
- Department of Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Universidad de Córdoba, IMIBIC, Córdoba, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Madrid, Spain
| | - George-Philippe Pageaux
- Liver Transplantation Unit, Digestive Department, Saint Eloi University Hospital, University of Montpellier, 34295, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Alberto Sanchez-Fueyo
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College London University and King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sandy Feng
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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7
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Bonnet G, Coutance G, Aubert O, Waldmann V, Raynaud M, Asselin A, Bories MC, Guillemain R, Bruneval P, Varnous S, Leprince P, Achouch P, Marijon E, Loupy A, Jouven X. Sudden cardiac death after heart transplantation: a population-based study. Europace 2023; 25:euad126. [PMID: 37208303 PMCID: PMC10198773 DOI: 10.1093/europace/euad126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS The epidemiology of sudden cardiac death (SCD) after heart transplantation (HTx) remains imprecisely described. We aimed to assess the incidence and determinants of SCD in a large cohort of HTx recipients, compared with the general population. METHODS AND RESULTS Consecutive HTx recipients (n = 1246, 2 centres) transplanted between 2004 and 2016 were included. We prospectively assessed clinical, biological, pathologic, and functional parameters. SCD was centrally adjudicated. We compared the SCD incidence beyond the first year post-transplant in this cohort with that observed in the general population of the same geographic area (registry carried out by the same group of investigators; n = 19 706 SCD). We performed a competing risk multivariate Cox model to identify variables associated with SCD. The annual incidence of SCD was 12.5 per 1,000 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI), 9.7-15.9] in the HTx recipients cohort compared with 0.54 per 1,000 person-years (95% CI, 0.53-0.55) in the general population (P < 0.001). The risk of SCD was markedly elevated among the youngest HTx recipients with standardized mortality ratios for SCD up to 837 for recipients ≤30 years. Beyond the first year, SCD was the leading cause of death. Five variables were independently associated with SCD: older donor age (P = 0.003), younger recipient age (P = 0.001) and ethnicity (P = 0.034), pre-existing donor-specific antibodies (P = 0.009), and last left ventricular ejection fraction (P = 0.048). CONCLUSION HTx recipients, particularly the youngest, were at very high risk of SCD compared with the general population. The consideration of specific risk factors may help identify high-risk subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Bonnet
- Université de Paris, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris Translational Research Center for Organ Transplantation, INSERM, UMR-S970, 75015 Paris, France
- UMCV, Haut-Lévêque Hospital, University Hospital of Bordeaux, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Guillaume Coutance
- Université de Paris, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris Translational Research Center for Organ Transplantation, INSERM, UMR-S970, 75015 Paris, France
- Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Cardiology Institute, Pitié-Salpeêtrière Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Sorbonne University Medical School, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Aubert
- Université de Paris, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris Translational Research Center for Organ Transplantation, INSERM, UMR-S970, 75015 Paris, France
- Kidney Transplant Department, Necker Hospital, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Victor Waldmann
- Université de Paris, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris Translational Research Center for Organ Transplantation, INSERM, UMR-S970, 75015 Paris, France
- Cardiology and Heart Transplant department, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, Rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Marc Raynaud
- Université de Paris, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris Translational Research Center for Organ Transplantation, INSERM, UMR-S970, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Anouk Asselin
- Université de Paris, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris Translational Research Center for Organ Transplantation, INSERM, UMR-S970, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Marie-Cécile Bories
- Cardiology and Heart Transplant department, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, Rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Romain Guillemain
- Cardiology and Heart Transplant department, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, Rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Patrick Bruneval
- Pathology Department, Georges Pompidou Hospital, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris. Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Shaida Varnous
- Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Cardiology Institute, Pitié-Salpeêtrière Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Sorbonne University Medical School, Paris, France
- INSERM, UMRS-1166, iCAN, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Pascal Leprince
- Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Cardiology Institute, Pitié-Salpeêtrière Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Sorbonne University Medical School, Paris, France
- INSERM, UMRS-1166, iCAN, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Paul Achouch
- Cardiology and Heart Transplant department, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, Rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Eloi Marijon
- Université de Paris, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris Translational Research Center for Organ Transplantation, INSERM, UMR-S970, 75015 Paris, France
- Cardiology and Heart Transplant department, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, Rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Loupy
- Université de Paris, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris Translational Research Center for Organ Transplantation, INSERM, UMR-S970, 75015 Paris, France
- Kidney Transplant Department, Necker Hospital, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Xavier Jouven
- Université de Paris, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris Translational Research Center for Organ Transplantation, INSERM, UMR-S970, 75015 Paris, France
- Cardiology and Heart Transplant department, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, Rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France
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Bosselmann EA, Dranicki F, Campos-Murguia A, Hartleben B, Wedemeyer H, Jaeckel E, Taubert R. Combination of everolimus and low-dose tacrolimus controls histological liver allograft injury as sufficiently as high-dose tacrolimus. FRONTIERS IN TRANSPLANTATION 2023; 2:1168163. [PMID: 38993848 PMCID: PMC11235273 DOI: 10.3389/frtra.2023.1168163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Introduction The combination of everolimus (EVR) and low-dose tacrolimus (lowTAC) prevents T cell-mediated rejection of liver grafts as sufficiently as high-dose tacrolimus (highTAC) and mycophenolate, but is associated with a preserved kidney function within the first years after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). However, none of the available studies assessed the histological pattern of graft injury or fibrosis in surveillance biopsies (svLbx). Methods All svLbx taken under at least one month of stable immunosuppression with either EVR (aim 3-8 ng/ml) combined with lowTAC (aim 3-5 ng/ml) or highTAC (aim 5-8 ng/ml) combined with mycophenolate (500-1500 mg/day) within the first three to four years after OLT at our center were included. Patients who were switched to EVR because of insufficient control of alloreactivity were excluded. Results Reasons for switches to EVR were mainly malignancies before or after OLT, or chronic kidney injury. We were able to include 20 svLbx with EVR/lowTAC and 49 with highTAC/mycophenolate. Both groups had similar liver enzymes and similar kidney function. The EVR/lowTAC group exhibited lower TAC trough levels at svLbx (4.4 vs. 6.6 ng/ml; p<.001) in comparison to highTAC/mycophenolate. Histological graft injury quantified by the rejection activity index and hepatitis activity index (Ishak), as well as fibrosis were not significantly different between the EVR/lowTAC and highTAC/mycophenolate groups. Likewise, subclinical TCMR, histological criteria justifying immunosuppression minimization, and steatosis had equal prevalence in both regimens. Immunosuppression was adjusted according to the svLbx findings. Immunosuppression regimens had similarly low rates of rejection after immunosuppression reduction, when relevant graft injury was absent in the biopsy. Discussion In conclusion, EVR/lowTAC seems to control alloreactivity and histological graft injury as sufficiently as highTAC/mycophenolate within the first 3-4 years after OLT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Bosselmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Fabian Dranicki
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alejandro Campos-Murguia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Björn Hartleben
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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9
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Engel B, Falk Villesen I, Fisker Nielsen MJ, Karsdal M, Taubert R, Jaeckel E, Leeming DJ. Quantification of extracellular matrix remodeling for the non-invasive identification of graft fibrosis after liver transplantation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6103. [PMID: 37055472 PMCID: PMC10101979 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33100-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Detecting patients with early post-transplant fibrosis after liver transplantation (LT) is very important. Non-invasive tests are needed to avoid liver biopsies. We aimed to detect fibrosis in liver transplant recipients (LTR) using extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling biomarkers. ECM biomarkers for type III (PRO-C3), IV (PRO-C4), VI (PRO-C6) and XVIII (PRO-C18L) collagen formation and type IV collagen degradation (C4M) were measured by ELISA in prospectively collected, cryopreserved plasma samples (n = 100) of LTR with paired liver biopsies from a protocol biopsy program. Fibrosis ≥ F2 was present in 29% of patients (median 44 months post-LT). APRI and FIB-4 neither identified significant fibrosis nor were correlated with histopathological fibrosis scores, while ECM biomarkers (AUCs 0.67-0.74) did. The median levels of PRO-C3 (15.7 vs. 11.6 ng/ml; p = 0.002) and C4M (22.9 vs. 11.6 ng/ml; p = 0.006) levels were elevated in T-cell-mediated rejection compared to normal graft function. The median levels of PRO-C4 (178.9 vs. 151.8 ng/ml; p = 0.009) and C4M (18.9 vs. 16.8 ng/ml; p = 0.004) levels were increased if donor-specific antibodies were present. PRO-C6 had the highest sensitivity (100%), NPV (100%) and negative likelihood-ratio (0) for graft fibrosis. To conclude, ECM biomarkers are helpful in identifying patients at risk of relevant graft fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Engel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
| | | | | | - Morten Karsdal
- Biomarkers and Research, Nordic Bioscience, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany
- Ajmera Transplant Centre, Toronto General Hospital, United Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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10
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Campos-Murguia A, Bosselmann EA, Hartleben B, Wedemeyer H, Engel B, Taubert R, Jaeckel E. Impact of steroid withdrawal on subclinical graft injury after liver transplantation: A propensity score-matched cohort analysis. FRONTIERS IN TRANSPLANTATION 2023; 2:1124551. [PMID: 38993902 PMCID: PMC11235343 DOI: 10.3389/frtra.2023.1124551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Subclinical graft injuries in orthotopic liver transplantation may threaten long-term graft survival and could be the result of chronic under-immunosuppression. It is not known whether steroid withdrawal increases the risk of subclinical immune responses against the graft. This retrospective single-center study aimed to assess the risk of subclinical graft damage after steroid withdrawal within the first nine months after orthotopic liver transplantation in the first three years after transplantation in a prospective cohort of surveillance biopsies using a propensity score matching analysis. Of 355 patients, 109 patients underwent surveillance biopsies between eleven and 36 months after liver transplantation. Thirty-seven patients discontinue steroids within the first nine months and 72 later than nine months after transplantation. The matching led to 28 patients per group. Patients with autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, and hepatocarcinoma were excluded by the propensity score matching unintentionally. Patients who discontinued steroids had a trend toward lower levels of immunosuppression at the time of surveillance biopsy. Steroid withdrawal in the first nine months was not associated with an increased risk of subclinical T cell-mediated rejection, graft inflammation, or liver graft fibrosis in the matched cohort with patients with a low frequency of autoimmune liver diseases. There were also no differences in the development of metabolic diseases. In conclusion, steroid withdrawal within the first nine months after transplantation, as assessed by surveillance biopsies, does not increase the risk of subclinical graft injuries or fibrosis at least in liver transplant recipient without or a low prevalence of autoimmune liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Campos-Murguia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Emily A. Bosselmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Björn Hartleben
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bastian Engel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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11
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Zhang Z, Zhao S, Si Z, Wang Z, Dong C, Sun C, Zheng W, Kai W, Zhang W, Song Z, Gao W, Shen Z. Incidence and risk factors of subclinical rejection after pediatric liver transplantation, and impact on allograft fibrosis. Clin Transplant 2023; 37:e14894. [PMID: 36581321 DOI: 10.1111/ctr.14894] [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: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Subclinical rejection (SCR) is a common injury in protocol biopsy after pediatric liver transplantation (pLT), but its effect on the recipient is not clearly understood. We herein investigated the incidence and risk factors involved in SCR and analyzed the relationship between SCR and allograft fibrosis (AF). METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the biopsy results from 507 children between May 2013 and May 2019, and 352 patients underwent protocol biopsy 2 years after pLT, 203 underwent protocol biopsy 5 years after pLT, and 48 underwent protocol biopsy both 2 and 5 years after pLT. RESULTS The incidence of SCR in the 5-year group was higher than that in the 2-year group (20.2% vs.13.4%, respectively, p = .033). The number of patients with mild and moderate SCR in the 5-year group was also higher than that in the 2-year group (p = .039). Logistic regression analysis showed that acute rejection before liver biopsy and deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) were independent risk factors for SCR in the two groups, and that the incidence and severity of AF in protocol biopsies at both periods in the SCR group were higher than those in the non-SCR group (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS The incidence and severity of SCR increased with the prolongation of protocol biopsy time. We postulate that acute rejection and DDLT are independent risk factors for SCR after transplantation. As the occurrence of SCR also augmented the incidence and severity of AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixin Zhang
- First Central Clinic Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shengqiao Zhao
- First Central Clinic Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhuyuan Si
- First Central Clinic Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhenglu Wang
- Department of pediatric transplantation, Organ Transplantation Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chong Dong
- Department of pediatric transplantation, Organ Transplantation Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chao Sun
- Department of pediatric transplantation, Organ Transplantation Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Weiping Zheng
- Department of pediatric transplantation, Organ Transplantation Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Wang Kai
- Department of pediatric transplantation, Organ Transplantation Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of pediatric transplantation, Organ Transplantation Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhuolun Song
- Department of pediatric transplantation, Organ Transplantation Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Gao
- Department of pediatric transplantation, Organ Transplantation Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhongyang Shen
- Department of pediatric transplantation, Organ Transplantation Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
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12
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Baumann AK, Beck J, Kirchner T, Hartleben B, Schütz E, Oellerich M, Wedemeyer H, Jaeckel E, Taubert R. Elevated fractional donor-derived cell-free DNA during subclinical graft injury after liver transplantation. Liver Transpl 2022; 28:1911-1919. [PMID: 35429207 DOI: 10.1002/lt.26479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Personalized immunosuppression (IS) promises to improve the balance of necessary control of alloreactivity and dose-dependent adverse effects of long-term IS such as kidney insufficiency, infections, and malignancies. The majority of liver transplantation (LT) recipients exhibit graft injuries (graft inflammation and/or fibrosis) that are not eligible for an IS reduction according to current Banff criteria, even when liver enzymes are normal or only marginally elevated. This cross-sectional study evaluated the noninvasive prediction of such subclinical graft injuries in surveillance liver biopsies via donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA). Absolute and fractional dd-cfDNA increased stepwise from patients without histological signs of rejection (n = 26) over subclinical graft injury (n = 61), including subclinical T cell-mediated rejection to clinical overt T cell-mediated rejection (n = 21). Thus, fractional plasma dd-cfDNA was significantly elevated paired to surveillance biopsies with relevant subclinical graft injury according to 2016 Banff criteria compared with those with minimal or absent histological graft injury. In contrast, the presence of donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen antibodies was not associated with the amount of dd-cfDNA. The sensitivity and specificity of fractional dd-cfDNA to noninvasively predict relevant subclinical graft injury was rather limited with 73% and 52% at the cutoff value of 2.1% fractional dd-cfDNA. The positive predictive value of fractional dd-cfDNA above 2.1% was 76% to noninvasively predict subclinical graft injury, calculated on the prevalence of graft injury in our prospective surveillance biopsy program, whereas the negative predictive values was not predictive (47%). In conclusion, dd-cfDNA has a rather limited diagnostic fidelity in addition to other noninvasive markers for the assessment of subclinical graft injury in personalized IS approaches after LT in a cross-sectional setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Baumann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Theresa Kirchner
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Björn Hartleben
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Michael Oellerich
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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13
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Duizendstra AA, De Knegt RJ, Nagtzaam NMA, Betjes MGH, Dik WA, Litjens NHR, Kwekkeboom J. Minimal Development of Liver Fibrosis in Adult Tolerant Liver Transplant Recipients Late After Immunosuppressive Drug Weaning and Transplantation. Transplant Proc 2022; 54:1874-1880. [PMID: 36100485 DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2022.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Operationally tolerant liver transplant (LTx)-recipients can be weaned off immunosuppressive (IS) drugs without development of graft rejection. However, it is feared that liver fibrosis might develop after complete IS weaning. The purpose of this small single-center study was to assess liver fibrosis in adult tolerant LTx recipients long after LTx and IS weaning. METHODS Liver fibrosis was assessed in adult tolerant LTx-recipients (n = 9) using noninvasive transient elastography and measurements of multiple pro- and antifibrotic serum markers associated with liver fibrosis. The data was collected for 2 subsequent years; 8 and 9 years after IS weaning and 19 and 20 years after transplantation. Healthy individuals (n = 9) matched for age and sex were included as a reference for fibrosis-related serum markers. This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the medical ethics committee of our institution. RESULTS Transient elastography indicated that 7 of 9 tolerant LTx recipients had no or minimal liver fibrosis (F0-F1), whereas 2 recipients had moderate or severe liver fibrosis (F2-F3). Most fibrosis-related serum markers in tolerant LTx recipients were within or close to the range obtained for healthy individuals. CONCLUSIONS The results from this small, single-center study indicated that most adult tolerant LTx recipients have no or minimal liver graft fibrosis long after transplantation and IS weaning, and their fibrosis-related serum marker profile indicates an absence of a profibrotic status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aafke A Duizendstra
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robert J De Knegt
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole M A Nagtzaam
- Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel G H Betjes
- Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, Division of Nephrology and Transplantation, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willem A Dik
- Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicolle H R Litjens
- Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, Division of Nephrology and Transplantation, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Kwekkeboom
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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14
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Saunders EA, Engel B, Höfer A, Hartleben B, Vondran FWR, Richter N, Potthoff A, Zender S, Wedemeyer H, Jaeckel E, Taubert R. Outcome and safety of a surveillance biopsy guided personalized immunosuppression program after liver transplantation. Am J Transplant 2022; 22:519-531. [PMID: 34455702 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.16817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Graft survival beyond year 1 has not changed after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) over the last decades. Likewise, OLT causes comorbidities such as infection, renal impairment and cancer. We evaluated our single-center real-world individualized immunosuppression program after OLT, based on 211 baseline surveillance biopsies (svLbx) without any procedural complications. Patients were classified as low, intermediate and high rejection risk based on graft injury in svLbx and anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies. While 32% of patients had minimal histological inflammation, 57% showed histological inflammation and 23% advanced fibrosis (>F2), which was not predicted by lab parameters. IS was modified in 79% of patients after svLbx. After immunosuppression reduction in 69 patients, only 5 patients showed ALT elevations and three of these patients had a biopsy-proven acute rejection, two of them related to lethal comorbidities. The rate of liver enzyme elevation including rejection was not significantly increased compared to a svLbx control cohort prior to the initiation of our structured program. Immunosuppression reduction led to significantly better kidney function compared to this control cohort. In conclusion, a biopsy guided personalized immunosuppression protocol after OLT can identify patients requiring lower immunosuppression or patients with graft injury in which IS should not be further reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Saunders
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bastian Engel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Anne Höfer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Björn Hartleben
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Florian W R Vondran
- Department for General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Nicolas Richter
- Department for General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andrej Potthoff
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Steffen Zender
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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15
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Nakamura T, Shirouzu T, Sugimoto R, Harada S, Yoshikawa M, Nobori S, Ushigome H, Kawai S. Intra-Liver Allograft C3d-Binding Donor-Specific Anti-HLA Antibodies Predict Rejection After Liver Transplantation. Transplant Proc 2022; 54:450-453. [PMID: 35039161 DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2021.08.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is no doubt that antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) due to donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) brings a poor outcome for liver transplant recipients. However, the relationship between intragraft DSA (g-DSA), complement-binding abilities, and AMR remains unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS We enrolled a total of 20 liver transplant recipients who underwent protocol or episode graft biopsies in the mid to long term after liver transplant (median 48.5, range 6-198 months), and their status of g-DSA and complement 3d (C3d)-binding abilities was assessed with the graft immunocomplex capture fluorescence analysis (ICFA) technique. RESULTS The prevalence of g-DSA was 15.0 % in liver transplant recipients (3/20), and serum DSA (s-DSA) also existed in 15.0% of recipients. The number of g-DSA+/s-DSA+, g-DSA+/s-DSA-, g-DSA-/s-DSA+, and g-DSA-/s-DSA- cases are 1, 2, 2, and 15, respectively. The g-DSA+ group demonstrated a significant high rejection activity index: 3.67 ± 1.53, compared with the g-DSA- group: 1.24 ± 1.15 (P = .0045). Moreover, C3d-binding reaction was notably higher in the g-DSA+ group (C3d index: 1.87 ± 0.38 vs 0.76 ± 0.35) (P < .0001). Overall, the g-DSA+ group was more associated with liver allograft rejection-not only AMR, but also T cell-mediated rejection (P = .031). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the existence of g-DSA and intragraft C3d-binding reaction had a negative impact on the liver allografts, but in contrast s-DSA did not have any significant impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsukasa Nakamura
- Department of Organ Transplantation and General Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cho 465, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-prefecture, Japan.
| | - Takayuki Shirouzu
- Wakunaga Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd Molecular Diagnostics Division, 1624 Shimokotachi, Koda-cho, Akitakata, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Sugimoto
- Department of Organ Transplantation and General Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cho 465, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-prefecture, Japan
| | - Shumpei Harada
- Department of Organ Transplantation and General Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cho 465, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-prefecture, Japan
| | - Mikiko Yoshikawa
- Department of Organ Transplantation and General Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cho 465, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-prefecture, Japan
| | - Shuji Nobori
- Department of Organ Transplantation and General Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cho 465, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-prefecture, Japan
| | - Hidetaka Ushigome
- Department of Organ Transplantation and General Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cho 465, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-prefecture, Japan
| | - Shintaro Kawai
- Wakunaga Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd Molecular Diagnostics Division, 1624 Shimokotachi, Koda-cho, Akitakata, Hiroshima, Japan
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16
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Vionnet J, Miquel R, Abraldes JG, Wall J, Kodela E, Lozano JJ, Ruiz P, Navasa M, Marshall A, Nevens F, Gelson W, Leithead J, Masson S, Jaeckel E, Taubert R, Tachtatzis P, Eurich D, Simpson KJ, Bonaccorsi-Riani E, Feng S, Bucuvalas J, Ferguson J, Quaglia A, Sidorova J, Elstad M, Douiri A, Sánchez-Fueyo A. Non-invasive alloimmune risk stratification of long-term liver transplant recipients. J Hepatol 2021; 75:1409-1419. [PMID: 34437910 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Management of long-term immunosuppression following liver transplantation (LT) remains empirical. Surveillance liver biopsies in combination with transcriptional profiling could overcome this challenge by identifying recipients with active alloimmune-mediated liver damage despite normal liver tests, but this approach lacks applicability. Our aim was to investigate the utility of non-invasive tools for the stratification of stable long-term survivors of LT, according to their immunological risk and need for immunosuppression. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional multicentre study of 190 adult LT recipients assessed to determine their eligibility to participate in an immunosuppression withdrawal trial. Patients had stable liver allograft function and had been transplanted for non-autoimmune non-replicative viral liver disease >3 years before inclusion. We performed histological, immunogenetic and serological studies and measured the intrahepatic transcript levels of an 11-gene classifier highly specific for T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR). RESULTS In this cohort, 35.8% of patients harboured clinically silent fibro-inflammatory liver lesions (13.7% had mild damage and 22.1% had moderate-to-severe damage). The severity of liver allograft damage was positively associated with TCMR-related transcripts, class II donor-specific antibodies (DSAs), ALT, AST, and liver stiffness measurement (LSM), and negatively correlated with serum creatinine and tacrolimus trough levels. Liver biopsies were stratified according to their TCMR transcript levels using a cut-off derived from biopsies with clinically significant TCMR. Two multivariable prediction models, integrating ALT+LSM or ALT+class II DSAs, had a high discriminative capacity for classifying patients with or without alloimmune damage. The latter model performed well in an independent cohort of 156 liver biopsies obtained from paediatric liver recipients with similar inclusion/exclusion criteria. CONCLUSION ALT, class II DSAs and LSM are valuable tools to non-invasively identify stable LT recipients without significant underlying alloimmunity who could benefit from minimisation of immunosuppression. LAY SUMMARY A large proportion of liver transplant patients with normal liver tests have inflammatory liver lesions, which in 17% of cases are molecularly indistinguishable from those seen at the time of rejection. ALT, class II donor-specific antibodies and liver stiffness are useful in identifying patients with this form of subclinical rejection. We propose these markers as a useful tool to help clinicians determine if the immunosuppression administered is adequate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Vionnet
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College London University and King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Transplantation Center and Service of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rosa Miquel
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College London University and King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Liver Histopathology Laboratory, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Juan G Abraldes
- Liver Unit, Division of Gastroenterology, Centre of Excellence for Gastrointestinal Inflammation and Immunity Research, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Jurate Wall
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College London University and King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elisavet Kodela
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College London University and King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Juan-Jose Lozano
- Bioinformatic Platform, Biomedical Research Center in Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Will Gelson
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Steven Masson
- Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sandy Feng
- Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John Bucuvalas
- Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital and Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Julia Sidorova
- Instituto de Tecnología del Conocimiento (ITC), Campus Somosaguas, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Elstad
- School of Population Health and Environmental Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Abdel Douiri
- School of Population Health and Environmental Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alberto Sánchez-Fueyo
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College London University and King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
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17
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Nakamura T, Shirouzu T. Antibody-Mediated Rejection and Recurrent Primary Disease: Two Main Obstacles in Abdominal Kidney, Liver, and Pancreas Transplants. J Clin Med 2021; 10:5417. [PMID: 34830699 PMCID: PMC8619797 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10225417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The advances in acute phase care have firmly established the practice of organ transplantation in the last several decades. Then, the next issues that loom large in the field of transplantation include antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) and recurrent primary disease. Acute ABMR is a daunting hurdle in the performance of organ transplantation. The recent progress in desensitization and preoperative monitoring of donor-specific antibodies enables us to increase positive outcomes. However, chronic active ABMR is one of the most significant problems we currently face. On the other hand, recurrent primary disease is problematic for many recipients. Notably, some recipients, unfortunately, lost their vital organs due to this recurrence. Although some progress has been achieved in these two areas, many other factors remain largely obscure. In this review, these two topics will be discussed in light of recent discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsukasa Nakamura
- Department of Organ Transplantation and General Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cho 465, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Takayuki Shirouzu
- Molecular Diagnositcs Division, Wakunaga Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 13-4 Arakicho, shinjyuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0007, Japan;
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18
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Lee BT, Fiel MI, Schiano TD. Antibody-mediated rejection of the liver allograft: An update and a clinico-pathological perspective. J Hepatol 2021; 75:1203-1216. [PMID: 34343613 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Antibody-mediated rejection after liver transplantation is an under-recognised cause of allograft injury. While definitions of acute and chronic antibody-mediated rejection have increased clinical awareness, timely identification and management of antibody-mediated rejection remain difficult because of complexities in diagnosis and histopathology, lack of treatment protocols, and unclear long-term outcomes. While recent cohort studies assessing the importance of donor-specific antibodies have aided in its diagnosis, literature on the treatment of antibody-mediated rejection in liver transplantation remain limited to case reports and small series. Further increasing the awareness and timely recognition of antibody-mediated rejection post-liver transplantation is crucial in order to stimulate future research and the development of protocols for its diagnosis and treatment. This review will summarise recent advances in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of antibody-mediated rejection in liver transplantation, as well as some of the histopathologic features (on liver biopsy tissue) of acute and chronic antibody-mediated rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian T Lee
- Division of Gastroenterology and Transplant Institute, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
| | - M Isabel Fiel
- Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Thomas D Schiano
- Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
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19
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Gül-Klein S, Hegermann H, Röhle R, Schmelzle M, Tacke F, Schöning W, Öllinger R, Dziodzio T, Maier P, Plewe JM, Horst D, Sauer IM, Pratschke J, Lachmann N, Eurich D. Donor-Specific Antibodies Against Donor Human Leukocyte Antigen are Associated with Graft Inflammation but Not with Fibrosis Long-Term After Liver Transplantation: An Analysis of Protocol Biopsies. J Inflamm Res 2021; 14:2697-2712. [PMID: 34188517 PMCID: PMC8236257 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s307778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Donor-specific antibodies (DSA) against donor human leukocyte antigen after liver transplantation, which are associated with histological changes, have been widely studied with respect to their sustained impact on transplant function. However, their long-term impact after liver transplantation remains unclear. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis from June 2016 to July 2017 that included all patients who presented themselves for scheduled follow-up after receiving a liver transplantation between September 1989 and December 2016. In addition to a liver protocol biopsy, patients were screened for human leukocyte antigen antibodies (HLAab) and donor-specific antibodies. Subsequently, the association between human leukocyte antigen antibodies, donor-specific antibodies, histologic and clinical features, and immunosuppression was analyzed. Results Analysis for human leukocyte antigen antibodies and donor-specific antibodies against donor human leukocyte antigen was performed for 291 and 271 patients. A significant association between higher inflammation grades and the presence of human leukocyte antigen antibodies and donor-specific antibodies was detected, while fibrosis stages remained unaffected. These results were confirmed by multivariate logistic regression for inflammation showing a significant increase for presence of human leukocyte antigen antibodies and donor-specific antibodies (OR: 4.43; 95% CI: 1.67–12.6; p=0.0035). Furthermore, the use of everolimus in combination with tacrolimus was significantly associated with the status of negative human leukocyte antigen antibodies and donor-specific antibodies. Viral etiology for liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and higher steatosis grades of the graft were significantly associated with a lower rate of human leukocyte antigen antibodies. The impact of human leukocyte antigen antibodies and donor-specific antibodies against donor human leukocyte antigen was associated with higher levels of laboratory parameters, such as transaminases and bilirubin. Conclusion Donor-specific antibodies against donor human leukocyte antigen are associated with histological and biochemical graft inflammation after liver transplantation, while fibrosis seems to be unaffected. Future studies should validate these findings for longer observation periods and specific subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safak Gül-Klein
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Henriette Hegermann
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Röhle
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Coordinating Center for Clinical Studies, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany
| | - Moritz Schmelzle
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Tacke
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wenzel Schöning
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Öllinger
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tomasz Dziodzio
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrick Maier
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julius M Plewe
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - David Horst
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Igor Maximilian Sauer
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johann Pratschke
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nils Lachmann
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, HLA Laboratory, Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dennis Eurich
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
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20
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Sultani B, Marget M, Briem-Richter A, Herrmann J, Meisner S, Grabhorn EF, Ozga AK, Weidemann S, Herden U, Fischer L, Sterneck M. Presence of donor specific HLA class 2 antibodies (DSA class 2) is associated with development of graft fibrosis more than 10 years after liver transplantation-a retrospective single center study. Clin Transplant 2021; 35:e14336. [PMID: 33949011 DOI: 10.1111/ctr.14336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Here the impact of donor specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class 2 antibodies (DSA cl 2) on long term outcome after liver transplantation (LT) was investigated. Altogether 156 (44 pediatric and 112 adult) LT recipients were included in the study. Graft fibrosis was assessed by liver elastography and biopsy. DSA cl 2 were determined by Luminex technology. 46% of LT recipients were positive for DSA cl 2 after a median follow-up of 15 years. In the multivariate analysis DSA cl 2 were significantly associated with immunosuppressive monotherapy (OR 5.42; 95% CI: 1.02-28.90; p = .048). Compared to DSA cl 2 negative patients, positive recipients had significantly more graft fibrosis based on the liver stiffness (mean 9.4 ± 9.0 kPa vs. 6.5 ± 6.3 kPa; p < .002) and fibrosis stages determined by liver elastography (p = .016) and the performed liver biopsies (p = .002). Also, a significantly higher incidence of chronic rejections (11% vs. 2%; p = .045) and graft losses (6% vs. 0%; p = .043) were found. In the multivariate regression analysis DSA cl 2 were significantly associated with graft fibrosis (OR 4.57; 95% CI 1.59-13.10; p = .005). So, these data suggest that development of DSA cl 2 occurs more often with immunosuppressive monotherapy and may ultimately result in chronic rejection and graft fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bejan Sultani
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Marget
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andrea Briem-Richter
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jochen Herrmann
- Department of Pediatric Radiology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Meisner
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Enke Freya Grabhorn
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Ozga
- Insitute of Medical Biometry, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sören Weidemann
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Uta Herden
- Department of Visceral Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lutz Fischer
- Department of Visceral Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martina Sterneck
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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21
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Strategies for Liver Transplantation Tolerance. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052253. [PMID: 33668238 PMCID: PMC7956766 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver transplant (LT) recipients require life-long immunosuppression (IS) therapy to preserve allograft function. The risks of chronic IS include an increased frequency of malignancy, infection, renal impairment, and other systemic toxicities. Despite advances in IS, long-term LT outcomes have not been improved over the past three decades. Standard-of-care (SoC) therapy can, in rare cases, lead to development of operational tolerance that permits safe withdrawal of maintenance IS. However, successful IS withdrawal cannot be reliably predicted and, in current prospective studies, is attempted several years after the transplant procedure, after considerable exposure to the cumulative burden of maintenance therapy. A recent pilot clinical trial in liver tolerance induction demonstrated that peri-transplant immunomodulation, using a regulatory T-cell (Treg) approach, can reduce donor-specific alloreactivity and allow early IS withdrawal. Herein we review protocols for active tolerance induction in liver transplantation, with a focus on identifying tolerogenic cell populations, as well as barriers to tolerance. In addition, we propose the use of novel IS agents to promote immunomodulatory mechanisms favoring tolerance. With numerous IS withdrawal trials underway, improved monitoring and use of novel immunomodulatory strategies will help provide the necessary knowledge to establish an active liver tolerance induction protocol for widespread use.
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22
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Achieving operational tolerance remains a priority in liver transplantation. Although several biomarkers of tolerance and rejection have been identified, few have been reproducible and validated across centers, and therefore have yet to reach clinical practice. Here we summarize findings from prior seminal studies and review current developments in profiling the liver allograft. RECENT FINDINGS Substantial efforts and progress have been made in the recent years towards the discovery of reliable biomarkers that can predict and guide successful immunosuppression withdrawal. Recent studies have also investigated the transcriptomic signatures underlying not only acute rejection but also subclinical inflammation and chronic allograft injury. SUMMARY As new genomic and sequencing technologies continue to develop, clinical trials are underway to validate biomarkers of tolerance, as well as better understand the mechanisms of both acute and subclinical rejection, with the goal of maximizing allograft survival. Altogether, this will hopefully enable the implementation of immunosuppression withdrawal protocols into clinical practice and make operational tolerance reliably attainable in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Josh Levitsky
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Comprehensive Transplant Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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23
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Evaluation of Graft Fibrosis, Inflammation and Donor-specific Antibodies at Protocol Liver Biopsies in Pediatric Liver Transplant Patients: a Single Center Experience. Transplantation 2021; 106:85-95. [PMID: 33496554 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000003649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impact of graft fibrosis and inflammation on the natural history of pediatric liver transplants (LT) is still debated. Our objectives were to evaluate the evolution of posttransplant fibrosis and inflammation over time at protocol liver biopsies (PLBs), risk factors for fibrosis, presence of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) and/or their correlation with graft and recipient factors. METHODS A single-center, retrospective (2000-2019) cross-sectional study on pediatric LT recipients who had at least one PLB, followed by a longitudinal evaluation in those who had at least two PLBs, was conducted. Fibrosis was assessed by the Liver Allograft Fibrosis Semiquantitative score, inflammation by the Rejection Activity Index, DSAs by Luminex®. RESULTS A total of 134 PLBs from 94 patients were included. Fibrosis was detected in 87% (30% mild, 45% moderate, 12% severe), 80% in the portal tracts. There was an increase in fibrosis between the 1-3 and the 4-6 year group (p=0.01), then it was stable. Inflammation was observed in 44% (30% mild, 13% moderate, 1% severe), 90% in the portal tracts. Anti-HLA II (IgG) DSAs were detected in 14/40 (35%). Portal fibrosis was associated with portal inflammation in the 1-3 year group (p=0.04). Low immunosuppression levels were correlated with sinusoidal fibrosis (p=0.04) and DSA positivity (p-value=0.006). There was no statistically significant correlation between DSA positivity and the presence of graft fibrosis or inflammation. CONCLUSIONS This study corroborates the concept of an early evolution of silent graft fibrosis. Suboptimal immunosuppression may play a role in the development of fibrosis and DSAs.
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24
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Herzer K, Sterneck M, Welker MW, Nadalin S, Kirchner G, Braun F, Malessa C, Herber A, Pratschke J, Weiss KH, Jaeckel E, Tacke F. Current Challenges in the Post-Transplant Care of Liver Transplant Recipients in Germany. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9113570. [PMID: 33167567 PMCID: PMC7694452 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9113570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Improving long-term patient and graft survival after liver transplantation (LT) remains a major challenge. Compared to the early phase after LT, long-term morbidity and mortality of the recipients not only depends on complications immediately related to the graft function, infections, or rejection, but also on medical factors such as de novo malignancies, metabolic disorders (e.g., new-onset diabetes, osteoporosis), psychiatric conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression), renal failure, and cardiovascular diseases. While a comprehensive post-transplant care at the LT center and the connected regional networks may improve outcome, there is currently no generally accepted standard to the post-transplant management of LT recipients in Germany. We therefore described the structure and standards of post-LT care by conducting a survey at 12 German LT centers including transplant hepatologists and surgeons. Aftercare structures and form of cost reimbursement considerably varied between LT centers across Germany. Further discussions and studies are required to define optimal structure and content of post-LT care systems, aiming at improving the long-term outcomes of LT recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Herzer
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany;
- Knappschafts-Klinik Bad Neuenahr, 53474 Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany
| | - Martina Sterneck
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Martin-Walter Welker
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
| | - Silvio Nadalin
- Department for General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72016 Tuebingen, Germany;
| | - Gabriele Kirchner
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany;
- Innere Medizin I, Caritaskrankenhaus St. Josef, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Felix Braun
- Department for Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany;
| | - Christina Malessa
- Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Jena, 07747 Jena, Germany;
| | - Adam Herber
- Department of Gastroenterology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Johann Pratschke
- Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte/Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité University Medicine Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
- Berlin Institute of Health, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Karl Heinz Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
- Department of Internal Medicine, Salem Medical Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Integrated Research and Treatment Centre Transplantation (IFB-Tx), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Campus Charité Mitte/Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité University Medicine Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence:
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25
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Han H, Desert R, Das S, Song Z, Athavale D, Ge X, Nieto N. Danger signals in liver injury and restoration of homeostasis. J Hepatol 2020; 73:933-951. [PMID: 32371195 PMCID: PMC7502511 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2020.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Damage-associated molecular patterns are signalling molecules involved in inflammatory responses and restoration of homeostasis. Chronic release of these molecules can also promote inflammation in the context of liver disease. Herein, we provide a comprehensive summary of the role of damage-associated molecular patterns as danger signals in liver injury. We consider the role of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species as inducers of damage-associated molecular patterns, as well as how specific damage-associated molecular patterns participate in the pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases such as alcohol-related liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis and liver cancer. In addition, we discuss the role of damage-associated molecular patterns in ischaemia reperfusion injury and liver transplantation and highlight current studies in which blockade of specific damage-associated molecular patterns has proven beneficial in humans and mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Han
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S. Wood St., Suite 130 CSN, MC 847, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Romain Desert
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S. Wood St., Suite 130 CSN, MC 847, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Sukanta Das
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S. Wood St., Suite 130 CSN, MC 847, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Zhuolun Song
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S. Wood St., Suite 130 CSN, MC 847, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Dipti Athavale
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S. Wood St., Suite 130 CSN, MC 847, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Xiaodong Ge
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S. Wood St., Suite 130 CSN, MC 847, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Natalia Nieto
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S. Wood St., Suite 130 CSN, MC 847, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S. Wood St., Suite 1020N, MC 787, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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26
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Höfer A, Jonigk D, Hartleben B, Verboom M, Hallensleben M, Manns MP, Jaeckel E, Taubert R. Non-invasive screening for subclinical liver graft injury in adults via donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14242. [PMID: 32859929 PMCID: PMC7455737 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70938-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of liver grafts exhibit abnormal histological findings late after transplantation, even when liver enzymes are normal. Such subclinical graft injuries were associated with rejection and fibrosis progression in recent studies. The identification of non-invasive biomarkers for subclinical graft injury might help to individualize immunosuppression. Therefore, graft injury was assessed in 133 liver biopsies with normal/near normal liver enzymes from a prospective liver biopsy program. Cytokeratin-18 cell death marker (M65) and donor specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) were measured as non-invasive markers in paired plasma samples in addition to routine parameters. M65 was associated with subclinical graft injury but this association was too weak for reasonable clinical application. DSA positivity was associated with more graft inflammation (OR = 5.4) and more fibrosis (OR = 4.2). Absence of DSA excluded fibrosis in 87–89%, while presence of DSA excluded histological criteria for immunosuppression minimization attempts in 92–97%. While CK18 cell death marker had no diagnostic value for the detection of subclinical liver graft injury, DSA testing can help to preselect patients for immunosuppression reduction in case of DSA negativity, while DSA positivity should prompt elastography or liver biopsy for the assessment of subclinical graft injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Höfer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,European Reference Network On Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), Hannover, Germany
| | - Danny Jonigk
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Björn Hartleben
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Murielle Verboom
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Hallensleben
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael P Manns
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,European Reference Network On Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), Hannover, Germany
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,European Reference Network On Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), Hannover, Germany
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. .,Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. .,European Reference Network On Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), Hannover, Germany.
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Ohira M, Tanimine N, Kobayashi T, Ohdan H. Essential updates 2018/2019: Liver transplantation. Ann Gastroenterol Surg 2020; 4:195-207. [PMID: 32490333 PMCID: PMC7240140 DOI: 10.1002/ags3.12321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the recent topics in the field of liver transplantation (LT), one of the significant therapeutic breakthroughs is the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. With cure rates close to 100%, a better proportion of LT candidates and recipients can be cured of HCV infection by DAA therapies that are simple and well-tolerated. Other critical topics include the issue of indication of LT for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, which has been continuously studied. Several expanded criteria beyond the Milan criteria with acceptable results have been recently reported. The role of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) in intractable rejection is also an important matter that has been studied. Although long recognized as an important factor in antibody-mediated rejection and even graft survival in renal transplantation, the impact of DSAs on graft and patient survival in LT remains to be elucidated. Including the issues described above, this article focuses on recent advances in LT, management to avoid recurrence of primary diseases, optimization of immunosuppressive treatment, and extended donor criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Ohira
- Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences Hiroshima University Hiroshima Japan
- Medical Center for Translational and Clinical Research Hiroshima University Hospital Hiroshima Japan
| | - Naoki Tanimine
- Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences Hiroshima University Hiroshima Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Kobayashi
- Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences Hiroshima University Hiroshima Japan
| | - Hideki Ohdan
- Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences Hiroshima University Hiroshima Japan
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