Clinical analysis of recipients with survival over ten years after cardiac transplantation:a report of 13 cases

Objective To retrospectively analyze clinical management and follow - up of 13 recipients with survival over ten years after cardiac transplantation. Methods Thirteen male recipients underwent orthotopic heart transplantation between August 1995 and June 2001 in our center and received standard immunosuppressive

Relationship of Transforming Growth Factor-β1 and Arginase-1 Levels with Long-term Survival after Kidney Transplantation

In this study, we compared the serum levels of transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1）, interleukin-10 （IL-10）, and arginase-1 in long-term survival kidney transplant recipients （LTSKTRs） with those in short-term survival kidney transplant recipients （STSKTRs）. We then evaluated the relationship between these levels and graft function. Blood samples were collected from 50 adult LTSKTRs and 20 STSKTRs （graft survival approximately 1-3 years post-transplantation）. All patients had stable kidney function. The samples were collected at our institution during the patients＇ follow-up examinations between March 2017 and September 2017. The plasma levels of TGF-β1, IL- 10, and arginase- 1 were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays （ELISA）. The levels of TGF-β1 and arginase-1 were significantly higher in the LTSKTRs than in the STSKTRs. The time elapsed since transplantation was positively correlated with the levels of TGF-β1 and arginase-1 in the LTSKTRs. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was positively correlated with the TGF-β1 level, and the serum creatinine level was negatively correlated with the TGF-β1 level. Higher serum levels of TGF-β1 and arginase-1 were found in LTSKTRs than in STSKTRs, and we found that TGF-β1 was positively correlated with long-term graft survival and function. Additionally, TGF-β1 and arginase-1 levels were positively correlated with the time elapsed since transplantation. On the basis of these findings, TGF-β1 and arginase- 1 may play important roles in determining long-term graft survival. Thus, we propose that TGF-β1 and arginase-1 may potentially be used as predictive markers for evaluating long-term graft survival.

Effects of combined immune therapy on survival and Th1/Th2 cytokine balance in rat orthotopic liver transplantation

Background The induction of immune tolerance and suppression of allograft rejection has become the focus in the study of liver transplantation. The effect of immune therapy with anti-CD40L mAb alone or in combination with cyclosporine A （CsA） on the recipient survival and Th1/Th2 cytokine profile was studied to elucidate its immunological mechanism and role in rat orthotopic liver transplantation.Methods The model of rat orthotopic liver transplantation was established by modified Kamada＇s technique. Recipients were divided into group A （control group）： SD→SD; group B （group of rejection）： SD→Wistar without any treatment; group C： SD→Wistar with CsA monotherapy from day 1 to day 5; and group D： SD→Wistar with CsA from day 1 to day 5 and anti-CD40L mAb on day 0 and day 2. The survival of the recipients in all groups was observed and ELISA technique was used to detect the level of cytokines in peripheral blood on post-transplant day 7.Results The survival period of recipients in groups A （〉60 days） and D （〉60 days） was significantly longer than that in group B （13.8±2.4 days）. The serum levels of interleukin 2 （IL-2） and interferon y in group B were significantly higher than those in other groups; the level of tumor necrosis factor a was higher but not statistically significant. In contrast, the serum levels of IL-4 and IL-10 in group D were elevated more significantly than those in group B （P〈0.05）.Conclusions Combined immune therapy can prolong the survival of al log rafts. Increased expression of Th2 cytokines, which is closely related to the induction of tolerance and suppression of rejection, is beneficial to the long-term survival of recipients and allografts.