AMP-activated protein kinase as a promoting factor, but complement and thrombin as limiting factors for acquisition of cytoprotection: implications for induction of accommodation

Protection of transplants against antibody-mediated injuries: from xenotransplantation to allogeneic transplantation, mechanisms and therapeutic insights

Long-term allograft survival in allotransplantation, especially in kidney and heart transplantation, is mainly limited by the occurrence of antibody-mediated rejection due to anti-Human Leukocyte Antigen antibodies. These types of rejection are difficult to handle and chronic endothelial damages are often irreversible. In the settings of ABO-incompatible transplantation and xenotransplantation, the presence of antibodies targeting graft antigens is not always associated with rejection. This resistance to antibodies toxicity seems to associate changes in endothelial cells phenotype and modification of the immune response. We describe here these mechanisms with a special focus on endothelial cells resistance to antibodies. Endothelial protection against anti-HLA antibodies has been described in vitro and in animal models, but do not seem to be a common feature in immunized allograft recipients. Complement regulation and anti-apoptotic molecules expression appear to be common features in all these settings. Lastly, pharmacological interventions that may promote endothelial cell protection against donor specific antibodies will be described.

Analysis of T and B Cell Epitopes to Predict the Risk of de novo Donor-Specific Antibody (DSA) Production After Kidney Transplantation: A Two-Center Retrospective Cohort Study

Risk prediction of de novo donor specific antibody (DSA) would be very important for long term graft outcome after organ transplantation. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the association of eplet mismatches and predicted indirectly recognizable HLA epitopes (PIRCHE) scores with de novo DSA production. Our retrospective cohort study enrolled 691 living donor kidney transplantations. HLA-A, B, DRB and DQB eplet mismatches and PIRCHE scores (4 digit of HLA-A, B, DR, and DQ) were determined by HLA matchmaker (ver 2.1) and PIRCHE-II Matching Service, respectively. Weak correlation between eplet mismatches and PIRCHE scores was identified, although both measurements were associated with classical HLA mismatches. Class II (DRB+DQB) eplet mismatches were significantly correlated with the incidence of de novo class II (DR/DQ) DSA production [8/235 (3.4%) in eplet mismatch ≤ 13 vs. 92/456 (20.2%) in eplet mismatch ≥ 14, p < 0.001]. PIRCHE scores were also significantly correlated with de novo class II DSA production [26/318 (8.2%) in PIRCHE ≤ 175 vs. 74/373 (19.8%) in PIRCHE ≥ 176, p < 0.001]. Patients with low levels of both class II eplet mismatches and PIRCHE scores developed de novo class II DSA only in 4/179 (2.2%). Analysis of T cell and B cell epitopes can provide a beneficial information on the design of individualized immunosuppression regimens for prevention of de novo DSA production after kidney transplantation.

Peripheral blood transcriptome analysis and development of classification model for diagnosing antibody-mediated rejection vs accommodation in ABO-incompatible kidney transplant

The major obstacle to successful ABO blood group-incompatible kidney transplantation (ABOi KT) is antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). This study aimed to investigate transcriptional profiles through RNA sequencing and develop a minimally invasive diagnostic tool for discrimination between accommodation and early acute AMR in ABOi KT. Twenty-eight ABOi KT patients were selected: 18 with accommodation and 10 with acute AMR at the 10th day posttransplant protocol biopsy. Complete transcriptomes of their peripheral blood were analyzed by RNA sequencing. Candidate genes were selected by bioinformatics analysis, validated with quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and used to develop a classification model to diagnose accommodation. A total of 1385 genes were differentially expressed in accommodation compared with in AMR with P-adjusted < .05. Functional annotation and gene set enrichment analysis identified several immune-related and immunometabolic pathways. A 5-gene classification model including COX7A2L, CD69, CD14, CFD, and FOXJ3 was developed by logistic regression analysis. The model was further validated with an independent cohort and discriminated between accommodation and AMR with 92.7% sensitivity, 85.7% specificity, and 91.7% accuracy. Our study suggests that a classification model based on peripheral blood transcriptomics may allow minimally invasive diagnosis of acute AMR vs accommodation and subsequent patient-tailored immunosuppression in ABOi KT.

Lower incidence of de novo donor-specific antibodies against HLA-DR in ABO-incompatible renal transplantation

Recently, in vitro experiments have demonstrated that anti-blood group A/B antibody binding to endothelial cells induce a protective effect against antibody-mediated injury. This study aimed to clarify the potential clinical benefit of ABO incompatibility in donor-specific HLA antibody (DSA)-induced chronic antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR). We enrolled 215 ABO-incompatible renal transplant (ABO-I) and 467 ABO-identical/compatible renal transplant recipients (ABO-Id/C). The prevalence of de novo DSA production and incidence of biopsy-proven chronic ABMR were compared between the two groups. The incidence of DR-associated de novo DSA was significantly lower in ABO-I than in ABO-Id/C (P = 0.028). Diagnostic biopsy for ABMR was conducted in 54 patients (11 ABO-I and 43 ABO-Id/C). Biopsy-proven chronic ABMR was lower in ABO-I than in ABO-Id/C (27.3% [3/11] vs. 44.2% [19/43]) patients. Our findings suggest that ABO incompatibility may cause low production of DR-associated de novo DSA, possibly resulting in a reduced incidence of chronic ABMR.

Stability and bioactivity of chitosan as a transfection agent in primary human cell cultures: A case for chitosan-only controls

Chitosan polymers (Cs), from which microparticles (CsM) may be precipitated to deliver various intracellular payloads, are generally considered biologically inert. We examined the impact of cell culture conditions on CsM size and the effect of chitosan on CD59 expression in primary human smooth muscle cells. We found that particle concentration and incubation time in biological buffers augmented particle size. Between pH 7.0 and pH 7.5, CsM size increased abruptly. We utilized CsM containing a plasmid with a gene for CD59 (pCsM) to transfect cells. Both CD59 mRNA and the number of CD59-positive cells were increased after pCsM treatment. Unexpectedly, CsM also augmented the number of CD59-positive cells. Cs alone enhanced CD59 expression more potently than either pCSM or CsM. This observation strongly suggests that chitosan is in fact bioactive and that chitosan-only controls should be included to avoid misattributing the activity of the delivery agent with that of the payload.

Negative regulation of HLA-DR expression on endothelial cells by anti-blood group A/B antibody ligation and mTOR inhibition

Donor-specific antibody (DSA), particularly against HLA class II, is a major cause of chronic antibody-mediated rejection (CAMR) after transplantation, although ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation has recently demonstrated favorable graft outcomes. The condition of no injury even in the presence of anti-donor antibody has been referred to as "accommodation", which would be one of the key factors for successful long-term graft survival. The purpose of this study was to analyze the beneficial effect of anti-blood group A/B antibody ligation on endothelial cells against HLA-DR antibody-mediated, complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). Blood group A/B-expressing endothelial cells EA.hy926 or Human Umbilical Vein Endothelia Cells (HUVEC) were incubated with IFNγ in the presence or absence of anti-blood group A/B antibody or mTOR inhibitor (mTOR-i) for 48h. The effects on signaling pathway, HLA expression, complement regulatory factors, and CDC were investigated. Expression of HLA-DR on EA.hy926 or HUVEC were successfully elicited by IFNγ treatment, although little or no expression was observed in quiescent cells. Pre-incubation with anti-blood group A/B antibody had resistance to HLA-DR antibody-mediated CDC against IFNγ-treated cells in a concentration-dependent manner. This finding was ascribed to decreased expression of HLA-DR by post-translational regulation and increased expression of CD55/59, which was related to ERK and mTOR pathway inhibition. mTOR-i also inhibited HLA-DR expression by itself. Furthermore, the combination of mTOR-I and anti-blood group A/B ligation had an additive effect in preventing HLA-DR antibody-mediated CDC. Anti-blood group A/B antibody might play a preventive role in CAMR. Inhibition of the ERK and mTOR pathways may contribute to the development of a novel treatment in the maintenance period after transplantation.

Effects of glycemic control on glucose utilization and mitochondrial respiration during resuscitated murine septic shock

Background

This study aims to test the hypothesis whether lowering glycemia improves mitochondrial function and thereby attenuates apoptotic cell death during resuscitated murine septic shock.

Methods

Immediately and 6 h after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), mice randomly received either vehicle or the anti-diabetic drug EMD008 (100 μg · g^-1). At 15 h post CLP, mice were anesthetized, mechanically ventilated, instrumented and rendered normo- or hyperglycemic (target glycemia 100 ± 20 and 180 ± 50 mg · dL^-1, respectively) by infusing stable, non-radioactive isotope-labeled ¹³C₆-glucose. Target hemodynamics was achieved by colloid fluid resuscitation and continuous i.v. noradrenaline, and mechanical ventilation was titrated according to blood gases and pulmonary compliance measurements. Gluconeogenesis and glucose oxidation were derived from blood and expiratory glucose and ¹³CO₂ isotope enrichments, respectively; mathematical modeling allowed analyzing isotope data for glucose uptake as a function of glycemia. Postmortem liver tissue was analyzed for HO-1, AMPK, caspase-3, and Bax (western blotting) expression as well as for mitochondrial respiratory activity (high-resolution respirometry).

Results

Hyperglycemia lowered mitochondrial respiratory capacity; EMD008 treatment was associated with increased mitochondrial respiration. Hyperglycemia decreased AMPK phosphorylation, and EMD008 attenuated both this effect as well as the expression of activated caspase-3 and Bax. During hyperglycemia EMD008 increased HO-1 expression. During hyperglycemia, maximal mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation rate was directly related to HO-1 expression, while it was unrelated to AMPK activation. According to the mathematical modeling, EMD008 increased the slope of glucose uptake plotted as a function of glycemia.

Conclusions

During resuscitated, polymicrobial, murine septic shock, glycemic control either by reducing glucose infusion rates or EMD008 improved glucose uptake and thereby liver tissue mitochondrial respiratory activity. EMD008 effects were more pronounced during hyperglycemia and coincided with attenuated markers of apoptosis. The effects of glucose control were at least in part due to the up-regulation of HO-1 and activation of AMPK.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2197-425X-2-19) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.