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Li H, Yu S, Liu H, Chen L, Liu H, Liu X, Shen C. Immunologic barriers in liver transplantation: a single-cell analysis of the role of mesenchymal stem cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1274982. [PMID: 38143768 PMCID: PMC10748593 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1274982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background This study aimed to analyze the biomarkers that may reliably indicate rejection or tolerance and the mechanism that underlie the induction and maintenance of liver transplantation (LT) tolerance related to immunosuppressant or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Methods LT models of Lewis-Lewis and F344-Lewis rats were established. Lewis-Lewis rats model served as a control (Syn). F344-Lewis rats were treated with immunosuppressant alone (Allo+IS) or in combination with MSCs (Allo+IS+MSCs). Intrahepatic cell composition particularly immune cells was compared between the groups by single-cell sequencing. Analysis of subclusters, KEGG pathway analysis, and pseudotime trajectory analysis were performed to explore the potential immunoregulatory mechanisms of immunosuppressant alone or combined with MSCs. Results Immunosuppressants alone or combined with MSCs increases the liver tolerance, to a certain extent. Single-cell sequencing identified intrahepatic cell composition signature, including cell subpopulations of B cells, cholangiocytes, endothelial cells, erythrocytes, hepatic stellate cells, hepatocytes, mononuclear phagocytes, neutrophils, T cells, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Immunosuppressant particularly its combination with MSCs altered the landscape of intrahepatic cells in transplanted livers, as well as gene expression patterns in immune cells. MSCs may be included in the differentiation of T cells, classical monocytes, and non-classical monocytes. Conclusion These findings provided novel insights for better understanding the heterogeneity and biological functions of intrahepatic immune cells after LT treated by IS alone or in combination with MSCs. The identified markers of immune cells may serve as the immunotherapeutic targets for MSC treatment of liver transplant rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haitao Li
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Saihua Yu
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Haiyan Liu
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lihong Chen
- Department of Pathology, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hongzhi Liu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xingwen Liu
- Department of Nursing, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Conglong Shen
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
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Song S, Zhi Y, Tian G, Sun X, Chen Y, Qiu W, Jiao W, Huang H, Yu Y, Li M, Lv G. Immature and activated phenotype of blood NK cells is associated with acute rejection in adult liver transplant. Liver Transpl 2023; 29:836-848. [PMID: 37002601 DOI: 10.1097/lvt.0000000000000139] [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: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells contribute to liver transplant (LTx) rejection. However, the blood-circulating NK-cell dynamics of patients who experience acute rejection (AR) are unclear. Herein, we longitudinally profiled the total NK cells and their subsets, along with the expression of activating and inhibitory receptors in sequential peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples, spanning from before LTx to the first year after LTx of 32 patients with AR and 30 patients under a steady immune status. Before transplantation, patients with AR (rejectors) contained a significantly higher proportion of the immature CD56 bright CD16 - subset and a lower cytolytic CD56 dim CD16 + in the total blood-circulating NK cells than patients with steady immunity. Both subsets contained a high NKp30-positive population, and CD56 dim CD16 + additionally exhibited a high NKp46-positive ratio. The NKp30-positive ratio in CD56 dim CD16 + subset showed the most prominent AR predictive ability before LTx and was an independent risk factor of LTx AR. After transplantation, the blood-circulating NK cells in rejectors maintained a higher CD56 bright CD16 - and lower CD56 dim CD16 + composition than the controls throughout the first year after LTx. Moreover, both subsets maintained a high NKp30-positive ratio, and CD56 dim CD16 + retained a high NKp46-positive ratio. The blood-circulating NK cell subset composition was consistent during AR, while the expressions of NKp30 and NKp46 were augmented. Collectively, a more immature CD56 bright CD16 - subset composition and an activated phenotype of high NKp30 expression were the general properties of blood-circulating NK cells in rejected LTx recipients, and the NKp30-positive ratio in CD56 dim CD16 + NK subset before LTx possessed AR predictive potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shifei Song
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
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Muro M, Legaz I. Importance of human leukocyte antigen antibodies and leukocyte antigen/killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor genes in liver transplantation. World J Gastroenterol 2023; 29:766-772. [PMID: 36816626 PMCID: PMC9932425 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i5.766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Many mechanisms have been proposed to explain the hypothetical state of hepatic tolerance, which is described by eventual imbalances or deregulation in the balance of cytokines, mediators, effectors, and regulatory cells in the complex milieu of the liver. In this section, we will comment on the importance of donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies (DSA) as well as the compatibility and pairings of HLA and killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genotypes in the evolution of liver transplantation. Thus, HLA compatibility, viral infections, and HLA-C/KIR combinations have all been linked to liver transplant rejection and survival. There have been reports of increased risk of acute and chronic rejection with ductopenia, faster graft fibrosis, biliary problems, poorer survival, and even de novo autoimmune hepatitis when DSAs are present in the recipient. Higher mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) values of the DSAs and smaller graft size were associated with poorer patient outcomes, implying that high-risk patients with preformed DSAs should be considered for selecting the graft placed and desensitization methods, according to the investigators. Similarly, in a combined kidney-liver transplant, a pretransplant with a visible expression of several DSAs revealed that these antibodies were resistant to treatment. The renal graft was lost owing to antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). The HLA antigens expressed by the transplanted liver graft influenced antibody elimination. Pathologists are increasingly diagnosing AMR in liver transplants, and desensitization therapy has even been employed in situations of AMR, particularly in patients with DSAs in kidney-hepatic transplants and high-class II MFI due to Luminex. In conclusion, after revealing the negative impacts of DSAs with high MFI, pretransplant virtual crossmatch techniques may be appropriate to improve evolution; however, they may extend cold ischemia periods by requiring the donor to be typed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Muro
- Immunology Service, University Clinical Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca-Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia 30120, Spain
| | - Isabel Legaz
- Department of Legal and Forensic Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute (IMIB), Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum,” Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia 30120, Spain
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Legaz I, Bolarín JM, Campillo JA, Moya-Quiles MR, Miras M, Muro M, Minguela A, Álvarez-López MR. Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptors (KIR) and Human Leucocyte Antigen C (HLA-C) Increase the Risk of Long-Term Chronic Liver Graft Rejection. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012155. [PMID: 36293011 PMCID: PMC9603177 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic liver rejection (CR) represents a complex clinical situation because many patients do not respond to increased immunosuppression. Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors/Class I Human Leukocyte Antigens (KIR/HLA-I) interactions allow for predicting Natural Killer (NK) cell alloreactivity and influence the acute rejection of liver allograft. However, its meaning in CR liver graft remains controversial. KIR and HLA genotypes were studied in 513 liver transplants using sequence-specific oligonucleotides (PCR-SSO) methods. KIRs, human leucocyte antigen C (HLA-C) genotypes, KIR gene mismatches, and the KIR/HLA-ligand were analyzed and compared in overall transplants with CR (n = 35) and no-chronic rejection (NCR = 478). Activating KIR (aKIR) genes in recipients (rKIR2DS2+ and rKIR2DS3+) increased CR compared with NCR groups (p = 0.013 and p = 0.038). The inhibitory KIR (iKIR) genes in recipients rKIR2DL2+ significantly increased the CR rate compared with their absence (9.1% vs. 3.7%, p = 0.020). KIR2DL3 significantly increases CR (13.1% vs. 5.2%; p = 0.008). There was no influence on NCR. CR was observed in HLA-I mismatches (MM). The absence of donor (d) HLA-C2 ligand (dC2−) ligand increases CR concerning their presence (13.1% vs. 5.6%; p = 0.018). A significant increase of CR was observed in rKIR2DL3+/dC1− (p = 0.015), rKIR2DS4/dC1− (p = 0.014) and rKIR2DL3+/rKIR2DS4+/dC1− (p = 0.006). Long-term patient survival was significantly lower in rKIR2DS1+rKIR2DS4+/dC1− at 5–10 years post-transplant. This study shows the influence of rKIR/dHLA-C combinations and aKIR gene-gene mismatches in increasing CR and KIR2DS1+/C1-ligands and the influence of KIR2DS4+/C1-ligands in long-term graft survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Legaz
- Department of Legal and Forensic Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute (IMIB), Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, 30120 Murcia, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-868883957; Fax: +34-868834307
| | - Jose Miguel Bolarín
- Department of Legal and Forensic Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute (IMIB), Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - Jose Antonio Campillo
- Immunology Service, Instituto Murciano de Investigación biosanitaria (IMIB), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca (HCUVA), 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - María R. Moya-Quiles
- Immunology Service, Instituto Murciano de Investigación biosanitaria (IMIB), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca (HCUVA), 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - Manuel Miras
- Digestive Medicine Service, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca (HCUVA), 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - Manuel Muro
- Immunology Service, Instituto Murciano de Investigación biosanitaria (IMIB), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca (HCUVA), 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - Alfredo Minguela
- Immunology Service, Instituto Murciano de Investigación biosanitaria (IMIB), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca (HCUVA), 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - María R. Álvarez-López
- Immunology Service, Instituto Murciano de Investigación biosanitaria (IMIB), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca (HCUVA), 30120 Murcia, Spain
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Zamir MR, Shahi A, Salehi S, Amirzargar A. Natural killer cells and killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors in solid organ transplantation: Protectors or opponents? Transplant Rev (Orlando) 2022; 36:100723. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trre.2022.100723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Chen R, Yi H, Zhen J, Fan M, Xiao L, Yu Q, Yang Z, Ning L, Deng Z, Chen G. Donor with HLA-C2 is associated with acute rejection following liver transplantation in southern Chinese. HLA 2022; 100:133-141. [PMID: 35509131 DOI: 10.1111/tan.14651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Apart from presenting peptides to T cells, class I HLA molecules serve as ligands for KIRs and regulate the response of NK cells. The role played by HLA and KIR in the acute rejection (AR) following liver transplantation has been controversial. In this retrospective study, we assessed the influence of class I HLA alleles, HLA matching between donor-recipient pairs, recipient KIR and donor HLA ligands on AR following liver transplantation in southern Chinese. 143 recipients and 78 donors obtained from a single transplant center were included in the study cohort. 33 recipients with histologically confirmed AR were observed. We found that the incidence of AR did not correlate with donor or recipient class I HLA alleles and HLA matching. Neither recipient KIR gene nor the KIR genotype was associated with AR, moreover, high-resolution genotyping of 14 functional KIR genes of recipients showed that no KIR allele was independently associated with AR. However, the frequency of HLA-C2+ donor significantly increased in AR group compared with NAR group (52.9% vs. 24.6%, P = 0.03). In the presence of HLA-C2 by the donor allograft, AR was more frequently observed in recipients with normal expressed KIR2DS4 (43.8% vs. 15.0%, P = 0.03). Donor with HLA-C2 is therefore a major determinant of AR, which can confer risk effect in liver transplantation. Our findings can provide valuable clues for better understanding pathogenesis of AR and have important clinical implications in liver transplantation for Chinese. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Chen
- Immunogenetics Laboratory, Shenzhen Blood Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Huimin Yi
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianxin Zhen
- Central Laboratory, Shenzhen Baoan Women's and Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Mingming Fan
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lulu Xiao
- Tissue Typing Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiong Yu
- Immunogenetics Laboratory, Shenzhen Blood Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhichao Yang
- Immunogenetics Laboratory, Shenzhen Blood Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Li Ning
- Shenzhen Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Shenzhen Blood Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhihui Deng
- Immunogenetics Laboratory, Shenzhen Blood Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Guihua Chen
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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7
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Dębska-Zielkowska J, Moszkowska G, Zieliński M, Zielińska H, Dukat-Mazurek A, Trzonkowski P, Stefańska K. KIR Receptors as Key Regulators of NK Cells Activity in Health and Disease. Cells 2021; 10:1777. [PMID: 34359951 PMCID: PMC8303609 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are part of the cellular immune response. They target mainly cancer and virally infected cells. To a high extent cytotoxic activity of NK cells is regulated inter alia by signals from killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR). The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules are important ligands for KIR receptors. Binding of ligands (such as MHC I) to the KIR receptors has the important role in solid organ or hematopoietic cell transplantation. Of note, the understanding of the relationship between KIR and MHC receptors may contribute to the improvement of transplant results. Donor-recipient matching, which also includes the KIR typing, may improve monitoring, individualize the treatment and allow for predicting possible effects after transplantation, such as the graft-versus-leukemia effect (GvL) or viral re-infection. There are also less evident implications of KIR/MHC matching, such as with pregnancy and cancer. In this review, we present the most relevant literature reports on the importance of the KIR/MHC relationship on NK cell activity and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)/solid organ transplantation (SOT) effects, the risk of allograft rejection, protection against post-transplant cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, pregnancy complications, cancer and adoptive therapy with NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Dębska-Zielkowska
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland; (G.M.); (M.Z.); (H.Z.); (A.D.-M.); (P.T.)
| | - Grażyna Moszkowska
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland; (G.M.); (M.Z.); (H.Z.); (A.D.-M.); (P.T.)
| | - Maciej Zieliński
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland; (G.M.); (M.Z.); (H.Z.); (A.D.-M.); (P.T.)
| | - Hanna Zielińska
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland; (G.M.); (M.Z.); (H.Z.); (A.D.-M.); (P.T.)
| | - Anna Dukat-Mazurek
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland; (G.M.); (M.Z.); (H.Z.); (A.D.-M.); (P.T.)
| | - Piotr Trzonkowski
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland; (G.M.); (M.Z.); (H.Z.); (A.D.-M.); (P.T.)
| | - Katarzyna Stefańska
- Department of Obstetrics, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-214 Gdansk, Poland;
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