Serial monitoring of immunological parameters following human hand transplant

Background: Although early successes have been achieved in human hand transplant, the changes of immunological parameters in the recipients and their relations to clinical events were not yet known. Methods: In two patients undergoing hand transplantation, we prospectively determined lymphocyte subsets using flow cytometry as well as the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ using enzyme linked immunosorbent assays during the first 6 months after transplantation. Results: The decreases in CD + 3, CD + 4, CD + 8 T cell, the activated T cell (CD + 3/ CD + 25, CD + 3/HLA-DR + ) as well as IL-2, IFN-γ and corresponding significant peak in IL-10 in human hand transplant during the first post-transplant week were observed. Then these parameters recovered to the pre-transplant level except for an even higher level of CD + 8 T cell. The low CD + 4/CD + 8 ratio was been maintained constantly. After 7 wk, IL-2, IFN-γ, and IL-10 decreased to be maintained at a low or undetectable level except for slight increase in IL-10 at post-transplant month 5. There are no significant variation in TNF-a early after transplant. After 3 months, IL-10 was not detected again. Conclusion: The immunosuppressive agents had significantly effects on the immunological status in human hand transplant recipients. These profiles of immunological parameters would be useful data for the future immuno-monitoring in human hand transplant recipients.