Th1/Th2 cytokines and ICAM–1 levels post-liver transplant do not predict early rejection

TH1 DERIVED cytokin es IFN-g an d IL‐2, Th 2 cytokin e IL‐ 4, an d ICAM‐1 h ave been im p licated in live r allograft r eje ction . In or de r to deter m in e w h eth er m on ito rin g of cytokin e p ro files durin g th e first days p ost-live r tran sp lan t can p r edict early re jection w e m easur ed IFN-gg, IL‐2, sIL‐2 r e ce ptor, IL‐4 an d ICAM‐1 in 22 p atien ts, in plasm a sam p le s o btain ed w ith in 4 h afte r liver p er fusio n (baselin e ) and betw e en p o sto p erative days (POD) 3‐6. ICAM‐1 and sIL‐2R leve ls at POD 3‐6 w er e sign ifican tly h ighe r than at baselin e but did n ot differ in p r es en ce or abse nce of re jection . Me an p er cen tage in cr ease o f ICAM‐1 levels w as s ignifican tly low e r in patie nts w ith Mur om on ab-C3 Orth oclon e OKT3 (J.C. He alth Care ) (OKT3 ) w h er e as p ercen tage in cr ease of sIL‐2R leve ls w as h ighe r in OKT3-tr eated p atien ts . IFN-g le vels at POD 3‐6 in cr eased fr o m baselin e w h ile IL‐4 le vels w e re un change d. Le vels o f IFN-g , IL‐4 and th eir ratios did n ot corr elate w ith re jection or im m un os upp re ssive the rap y. Th us , Th 1 /Th 2 cyto kin e m on ito rin g durin g the first w e ek p o st-trans plant does n ot p r edict early r eje ction an d im m uno supp r ess iv e the rap y is the p r edom in ant facto r affecting ICAM and sIL‐2R leve ls afte r live r transp lantation .