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Despite the introduction of novel and more targeted immunosuppressive drugs, the long-term survival of kidney transplants has not improved satisfactorily. Early antigen-independent intragraft inflammation plays a critical role in the initiation of the alloimmune response and impacts long-term graft function. Complement activation is a key player both in ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) as well as in adaptive antigraft immune response after kidney transplantation. Since the alternative pathway (AP) amplifies complement activation regardless of the initiation pathways and renal IR injured cells undergo uncontrolled complement activation, we speculated whether selective blockade of AP could be a strategy for prolonging kidney graft survival. Here we showed that Balb/c kidneys transplanted in factor b deficient C57 mice underwent reduced IRI and diminished T cell-mediated rejection. In in vitro studies, we found that fb deficiency in T cells and dendritic cells conferred intrinsic impaired alloreactive/allostimulatory functions, respectively, both in direct and indirect pathways of alloantigen presentation. By administering anti-fB antibody to C57 wt recipients in the early post Balb/c kidney transplant phases, we documented that inhibition of AP during both ischemia/reperfusion and early adaptive immune response is necessary for prolonging graft survival. These findings may have implication for the use of AP inhibitors in clinical kidney transplantation., (© 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.)

In this single-center matched-cohort study, we evaluated the phenotype of repopulating B cells and its correlation with donor-specific anti-HLA Ab development and long-term graft function in 16 renal transplant recipients and 32 age- and gender-matched controls induced with alemtuzumab or basiliximab (Bas)/low-dose rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (rATG), respectively. Alemtuzumab, but not Bas/rATG, profoundly depleted peripheral B cells in the first 2 mo posttransplantation. Early posttransplant, naive B cells were significantly depleted, whereas Ag-experienced and memory B cells were partially spared. Transitional B cells transiently increased 2 mo posttransplant. At month 6 posttransplant, pregerminal center B cells emerged, a process promoted by increased BAFF serum levels. Thereafter, B cell counts increased progressively, mainly due to expansion of naive B cells. Conversely, Bas/rATG did not modify the B cell phenotype throughout the follow-up period. Alemtuzumab was associated with a higher incidence of de novo DSA compared with Bas/rATG. DSA development was predicted by changes in the B cell compartment and correlated with worse long-term graft function. Thus, alemtuzumab-induced B cell depletion/reconstitution may promote chronic humoral responses against the graft.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have emerged as useful cell population for immunomodulation therapy in transplantation. Moving this concept towards clinical application, however, should be critically assessed by a tailor-made step-wise approach. Here, we report results of the second step of the multistep MSC-based clinical protocol in kidney transplantation. We examined in two living-related kidney transplant recipients whether: (i) pre-transplant (DAY-1) infusion of autologous MSC protected from the development of acute graft dysfunction previously reported in patients given MSC post-transplant, (ii) avoiding basiliximab in the induction regimen improved the MSC-induced Treg expansion previously reported with therapy including this anti-CD25-antibody. In patient 3, MSC treatment was uneventful and graft function remained normal during 1 year follow-up. In patient 4, acute cellular rejection occurred 2 weeks post-transplant. Both patients had excellent graft function at the last observation. Circulating memory CD8(+) T cells and donor-specific CD8(+) T-cell cytolytic response were reduced in MSC-treated patients, not in transplant controls not given MSC. CD4(+) FoxP3(+) Treg expansion was comparable in MSC-treated patients with or without basiliximab induction. Thus, pre-transplant MSC no longer negatively affect kidney graft at least to the point of impairing graft function, and maintained MSC-immunomodulatory properties. Induction therapy without basiliximab does not offer any advantage on CD4(+) FoxP3(+) Treg expansion (ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT 00752479)., (© 2013 Steunstichting ESOT. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)