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Little is known about autoantibody pattern in liver transplantation (LT). The aim of the study was to examine autoantibodies (AAB) and immunoglobulins in patients with end-stage liver disease before and after LT. Patients with LT who underwent post-LT biopsies between 10/2008 and 8/2011 were enrolled. AAB were assessed at the time of LT and liver biopsy. Demographics, serum immunoglobulins, AAB, and liver histology (explant, post-LT biopsies) were analyzed. Two hundred and twenty patients (M/F 143/77; age at LT 54 (19-73)) were included; AAB and immunoglobulins were evaluated in 76 patients. Length of follow-up from LT was 285 (30-1462) days. Sixty-one percent of patients had hepatitis C (HCV); 83% developed recurrent HCV. A significant decrease in IgG, IgA, IgM (p < 0.001 each), anticardiolipin antibodies IgG and IgM (p = 0.02), and beta-2 microglobulin (p = 0.004) was observed post-LT. HCV patients had higher IgG (p = 0.005), rheumatoid factor (p = 0.044) before LT; elevated IgM was associated with increased inflammation in the explant (p = 0.007). Lower IgG levels and antismooth muscle antibodies were present before LT in a higher percentage in patients who would develop recurrent HCV (p = 0.004, p = 0.077, respectively). In conclusion, AAB change significantly after LT and have a different pattern in HCV. Some immunological markers are associated with HCV recurrence and advanced inflammation on explant.

Background The utilization of extended criteria liver allografts (ECD) shortens time to transplantation. Objective To characterize the effect of liver allograft fibrosis on graft and patient survival after liver transplantation (LT), with particular attention to fibrosis progression. Methods Retrospective database search of donor and recipient liver allograft histology of liver transplants performed between 2007 and 2011. Donor and patient characteristics were analyzed. Results One hundred and one patients underwent LT with donor liver allografts with early-stage fibrosis (stage 1 fibrosis and stage 2 fibrosis). The level of liver fibrosis did not progress in 40% of the patients tested, and there was a regression of fibrosis in 30%. At a median follow-up of 71 months, of 101 patients transplanted with fibrotic livers, 63 patients (63%) were alive with functioning initial grafts, six patients (6%) were retransplanted, and 35 patients expired. The graft survival rates were 82% and 69% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Graft survival differences were not found to be statistically significant between the degrees of liver allograft fibrosis: 5-year graft survival (73% for stage 1 fibrosis and 62% for stage 2 fibrosis, P = .24). The entire fibrosis group was further compared with a control group of 208 consecutive primary liver transplant patients with allografts having no fibrosis. The 5-year graft survival was not significantly different between the groups (69% for the fibrosis group vs 75% for the nonfibrosis group, P = .19). Survival was also not statistically different between the groups (5-year survival of 73% for the fibrosis group vs 79% for the nonfibrosis group, P = .2). In patients with HCV, graft survival differences were not found to be statistically significant with the use of early-stage fibrotic livers: 5-year graft survival of 60% for fibrosis group vs 70% for the nonfibrosis group, P = .22). Conclusion This study demonstrates that allografts with early-stage fibrosis achieve acceptable long-term survival after liver transplantation. Given these preliminary results, the use of organs with early-stage fibrosis warrants further studies at a larger scale to validate these results.

OBJECTIVES Post-liver transplant (LT) hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients may develop allograft cirrhosis and rarely fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (FCH), while others have a stable course. Hepatic progenitor cells (HPC) may be implicated in liver injury and fibrogenesis through ductular reaction (DR). We studied HPC response and DR in three distinct post-LT patterns of HCV: stable recurrence, allograft cirrhosis, and FCH. METHODS We identified 52 patients with untreated recurrent HCV and longitudinal liver biopsies (20 stable/23 cirrhosis/9 FCH) and eight healthy controls. Archived liver biopsy specimens for three time points (LT; initial recurrence; and clinical outcome) were stained for cytokeratin-7. Manual HPC counts and DR quantification using image analysis were performed. RESULTS HCV counts and DR at LT did not differ across groups. At initial recurrence, HPC expansion occurred only in patients who developed cirrhosis, while prominent DR was present in those who developed FCH vs. stable and controls (p < 0.05). At outcome biopsies, HPC response and DR were increased in cirrhosis and FCH vs. stable and controls (p < 0.05). HPC response and DR did not differ in stable vs. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that an altered HPC response assessed by cytokeratin-7 stain after LT may predict severity of HCV recurrence.

End-stage liver disease as a consequence of hepatic sarcoidosis is a rare indication for liver transplantation. Consequently, there is a paucity of information on the pre-transplant findings and post-operative course of individuals transplanted for hepatic sarcoidosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate our experience with liver transplantation for sarcoidosis. Cases were identified by review of the Mount Sinai Hospital liver transplant database. For each case, two control patients with other causes of liver failure matched for age, gender and date of transplant were selected for comparison. Hepatic sarcoidosis was the indication for liver transplantation in only seven of 2117 (0.3%) adult transplants performed from September 1988 to June 2004. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis was established by findings of extensive, non-caseating granulomas in pre-transplant liver biopsy specimens or in the native liver explant. Extrahepatic disease was limited to pulmonary involvement in four patients. Sarcoid cases were statistically more likely to have diabetes mellitus (100% vs. 21%, p = 0.001) and less likely to have antibodies to hepatitis C (0% vs. 50%, p = 0.047). Rates of acute cellular rejection were 57% in cases and 36% in controls (p = 0.397). Hepatic granulomas were identified in one patient at 5.6 yr of follow-up. Among cases, the 1-yr graft and patient survival rates were 100% and 5-yr graft and patient survival rates were 86%. The 1- and 5-yr graft and patient survival rates were comparable with those of patients transplanted for other indications.