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Asian cardiovascular & thoracic annals 04/2011; 19(2):178.
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ABSTRACT: The presence of alloreactive memory T cells in recipient is a critical handicap to achieving transplantation tolerance. To make a mouse model that can as closely as possible mimic the presensitized transplant patient is important for research on this subject. Thus, we developed a novel retransplant model and compared the alloresponse in this model with that in the memory T cells-transfer model (transfer control). Mean survival time of allograft was compared between 3 groups, including blank transplant control, memory transfer control and retransplant groups. Cellular rejection activity in allografts was evaluated via HE staining of cardiac graft section. Proliferation and differentiation of the alloreactive effector T cells were assayed by in vitro mixed lymphocyte reaction and flow cytometry, respectively. Real-time quantitive RT-PCR was used to assess gene expression of cytokines and surum IFN-gamma was measured via ELISA. It showed that the median survival time of allograft in retransplant recipients was significantly shortened compared to that of transfer control, and it was the same in rejection score of graft. Moreover, proliferation and differentiation of the alloreactive effector T cells were more intensive in retransplant recipients than that in transfer control, which was confirmed by in vitro mixed lymphocyte reaction and by flow cytometry of the splenocytes for detecting CD44highCD62L- memory/effector phenotype cells. Furthermore, activation of CD4+ memory T cells is reflected by high level of surum IFN-gamma and the intensive gene expression of IFN-gamma and IL-2 at cardiac allograft in retransplant recipients. Collectively, the recall alloresponse in retransplantation is more intensive than that in a memory-transfer setting, and this retransplant model is closer to the clinic situation than the memory-transfer model in rodents.
Immunological Investigations 01/2010; 39(1):39-53. · 1.47 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Donor-reactive memory T (Tm) cells undermine transplanted organs more readily than naive T cells. Rapamycin (RAPA) and tacrolimus (FK-506) are current mainstay immunosuppressants used for preventing acute allograft rejection. Although their efficacy in suppressing naive T cell is established, their suppressing effect on memory T cells is undefined. This study was conducted to investigate the inhibiting capability of RAPA or FK-506 against transferred alloreactive CD4(+) Tm cells in a mouse cardiac transplant model. We found that these drugs alone prolonged the median survival time (MST) of allograft from 5days to 9days in recipient mice with CD4(+) Tm infusion (P<0.01), which however was not significantly longer than that (8days) in untreated recipient mice without CD4(+) Tm infusion (naive control). Mean histologic rank of rejection activity in section of cardiac allograft on day 5 postgrafting was Grade 4 in the Tm control recipients versus Grade 3A in both of the immunosuppressant treatment recipients with CD4(+) Tm infusion. RAPA or FK-506 alone failed to completely suppress proliferation and differentiation of the alloreactive CD4(+) Tm, which was confirmed by in vitro mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and by flow cytometry (FCM) of the splenocytes for detecting CD44(high)CD62L(-) effector/memory as well as CD69(+)/CD25(+) activation phenotype cells from the respective recipients. Furthermore, the agent alone didn't completely inhibit the activation of CD4(+) Tm, for serum level of IFN-gamma and its gene expression at the cardiac allograft from the immunosuppressant-treated recipients were as still high as the untreated naive control. Thus, RAPA or FK-506 alone couldn't completely suppress the proliferation and activation of the alloantigen-primed CD4(+) Tm cells responding to the alloantigen, indicating that alloreactive CD4(+) Tm was insensitive to these immunosuppressants. The characteristics of alloreactive CD4(+) Tm to resist immunosuppressants and its potency to initiate quick and vigorous rejection despite treatment with the immunosuppressant make it to be a critical barrier to prolongation of allograft survival and induction of transplant tolerance.
Transplant Immunology 09/2009; 22(3-4):128-36. · 1.46 Impact Factor
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European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery: official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery 02/2009; 35(3):535. · 2.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To investigate the rehabilitation of the sexual function of male patients after heart transplantation.
Eleven discharged adult male cardiac transplant recipients (ranging 32-54 years) with a normally functioning allograft for at least 9 months were questioned on their pre- and post-operative sexual function.
All the recipients complained of a significant pretransplantive decrease and 10 stated a significant posttransplantive increase in sexual function.
The sexual function of the male recipients was significantly improved after cardiac transplantation. Psychosocial factors affecting the rehabilitation of sexual function should not be neglected.
Zhonghua nan ke xue = National journal of andrology 04/2004; 10(3):196-7, 201.
