Pharmacogenetics of immunosuppressant drugs:A new aspect for individualized therapy

In recent years,pharmacogenetics has emerged as an important tool for choosing the right immunosuppressant drug and its appropriate dose.Indeed,pharmacogenetics may exert its action on immunosuppressant drugs at three levels.Pharmacogenetics identifies and studies the genes involved in encoding the proteins involved in drug pharmacokinetics and in encoding the enzymes involved in drug degradation.Pharmacogenetics is also relevant in encoding the enzymes and proteins involved in codifying the transmembrane proteins involved in transmembrane passage favoring the absorption and intracellular action of several immunosuppressants.Pharmacogenetics concern the variability of genes encoding the proteins involved as immunosuppressant triggers in the pharmacodynamic pathways.Of course,not all genes have been discovered and studied,but some of them have been clearly examined and their relevance together with other factors such as age and race has been defined.Other genes on the basis of relevant studies have been proposed as good candidates for future studies.Unfortunately,to date,clear conclusions may be drawn only for those drugs that are metabolized by CYP3A5 and its genotyping before kidney,heart and lung transplantation is recommended.The conclusions of the studies on the recommended candidate genes,together with the development of omics techniques could in the future allow us to choose the right dose of the right immunosuppressant for the right patient.

Effects of immunosuppressants after penetrating keratoplasty:meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIM: To assess the effectiveness of immunosuppressants in the prophylaxis of corneal allograft rejection after high-risk keratoplasty and normal-risk keratoplasty. METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CNKI, VIP and reference lists of articles. Date of most recent search: 18 June, 2011. All randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the use of immunosupressants in the prevention of graft rejection, irrespective of publication language. Two authors assessed trial quality and extracted data independently. Only dichotomous outcomes (clear graft survival, ratio of immune reactions and side effects) were available and were expressed as relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Seven studies were included in this review. In the comparing of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) with placebo, the results showed MMF could significantly reduce immune reactions compared with placebo (RR 1.08 95% Cl 0.95 to 1.21), but no effect on clear graft survival (RR 1.11 95% Cl 0.90 to 1.35). In clear graft survival and immune reactions, MMF and cyclosporine A (CsA) showed similar effect (RR 1.11 95% Cl 0.90 to 1.35, and RR 1.48, 95% Cl 0.56 to 3.93, respectively). Tacrolimus (FK506) and steroid showed similar effects on clear graft survival and immune reactions (RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.02 to 6.21, and RR 1.00, 95%CI 0.88 to 1.14, respectively). No drug relative side effect has been found. CONCLUSION: MMF may reduce immune reactions in both normal-risk and high-risk rejection of penetrating keratoplasty. CsA and FK506 showed similar effects as MMF. However, due to the lack of large clinical trials, the evidence remain weak, the quality of evidences were rated as very low to moderate. Large, properly randomised, placebo-controlled, double masked trials are needed to evaluate the effect of immunosuppressants.

Immunosuppressant treatment for IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis: A case report

BACKGROUND Immunoglobulin G4-related disease(IgG4-RD)is a multi-system fibroinflammatory disorder that can involve any organ,including the salivary glands,pancreas,and biliary tree.Treatment of immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing cholangitis(IgG4-SC)is similar to that for IgG4-RD,but progression is irreversible in some cases.We present a case of IgG4-SC in which an immuno-suppressant induced marked clinical and radiologic improvement.CASE SUMMARY A 63-year-old male presented with a prominent itching sensation and wholebody jaundice.He showed obstructive-pattern jaundice,an elevated IgG4 level,and infiltration of a large number of IgG4-positive cells in the ampulla of Vater.The imaging findings of intrahepatic duct(IHD)and common bile duct dilation,an elevated serum IgG4 level,and characteristic histological findings led to diagnosis of IgG4-SC that compatible with the 2019 ACR/EULAR classification criteria.We planned to treat the patient with high-dose glucocorticoid(GC),followed by cyclophosphamide pulse therapy.After treatment with high-dose GC and an immunosuppressant,imaging studies showed that IHD dilatation had completely resolved.CONCLUSION Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment of IgG4-SC are important.Because there is a risk of relapse of IgG4-SC,the GC dose should be gradually reduced,and a maintenance immunosuppressant should be given.

Interaction of immunosuppressants with HCV antivirals daclatasvir and asunaprevir: combined effects with mycophenolic acid

AIM To investigate the specific effects of immunosuppressants on the antiviral action of daclatasvir and asunaprevir.METHODS The antiviral activity of daclatasvir(DCV) and asunaprevir(ASV) combined with immunosuppressants was tested using two in vitro models for hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection.RESULTS Tacrolimus, rapamycin and cyclosporine did not negatively affect the antiviral action of DCV or ASV. Mycophenolic acid(MPA) showed additive antiviral effects combined with these direct acting antivirals(DAAs). MPA induces interferon-stimulated genes(ISGs) and is a potent GTP synthesis inhibitor. DCV or ASV did not induce ISGs expression nor affected ISG induction by MPA. Rather, the combined antiviral effect of MPA with DCV and ASV was partly mediated via inhibition of GTP synthesis.CONCLUSION Immunosuppressants do not negatively affect the antiviral activity of DAAs. MPA has additive effect on the antiviral action of DCV and ASV. This combined benefit needs to be confirmed in prospective clinical trials.

Management of immunosuppressant agents following livertransplantation:Less is more

Immunosuppression in organ transplantation was revolutionary for its time,but technological and population changes cast new light on its use.First,metabolic syndrome(MS) is increasing as a public health issue,concomitantly increasing as an issue for post-orthotopic liver transplantation patients;yet the medications regularly used for immunosuppression contribute to dysfunctional metabolism.Current mainstay immunosuppression involves the use of calcineurin inhibitors;these are potent,but nonspecifically disrupt intracellular signaling in such a way as to exacerbate the impact of MS on the liver.Second,the impacts of acute cellular rejection and malignancy are reviewed in terms of their severity and possible interactions with immunosuppressive medications.Finally,immunosuppressive agents must be considered in terms of new developments in hepatitis C virus treatment,which undercut what used to be inevitable viral recurrence.Overall,while traditional immunosuppressive agents remain the most used,the specific side-effect profiles of all immunosuppressants must be weighed in light of the individual patient.

In Vivo Development of Fetal Pig Kidneys in Mature Monkeys under Clinically Approved Immunosuppressant Drugs

Controlling the immune response with only clinically approved immunosuppressant drugs is difficult in renal heterotra ns plantation from pigs to nonhuman primates.Moreover,to the best of our knowledge,no reports exist on the use of fetal pigs as kidney donors.This study aimed to compare the degree of transplant rejection between neonatal and fetal kidneys,with genetically unmodified pigs as donors and cynomolgus monkeys as recipients.The left kidneys of the recipient monkeys were removed,followed by transplantation of neonatal as well as fetal pig kidneys,which had undergone vascular anastomosis at the same site,into the retroperitoneum.Immunosuppression was performed with only US Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs.The fetal kidneys were transplanted into the omentum and paraaortic regions of cynomolgus monkeys.Consequently,the engraftment and development of the transplanted tissues were pathologically examined by sampling over time(twice in each experiment).An acute rejection was observed after a few weeks in neonatal renal grafts with vascular anastomosis.However,fetal pig kidneys were spared from rejection despite the administration of the same immunosuppressive protocol to the monkeys and the recipient blood vessels flowing into the fetal kidneys.The immunogenicity of fetal kidneys in pig-monkey renal heterotransplantation was lower than that of neonatal kidneys.

Hepatitis B reactivation in patients with hepatitis B core antibody positive and surface antigen negative on immunosuppressants

Hepatitis B viral(HBV)reactivation in the immunosuppressed is a significant problem even in patients who have achieved serological clearance due to the persistence of HBV as cccDNA.HBV reactivation will continue to pose a significant healthcare burden given the high prevalence of HBV and increasing use of immunosuppressants.Screening of hepatitis B surface antigen,antibody to Hepatitis B core antigen antibody and HBV DNA levels should be done routinely in all patients planned for significant immunosuppressant use.We aimed to examine the factors affecting reactivation risk.This depended on HBV disease status,the underlying disease requiring immunosuppression,and the specific immunosuppressive regime.While antiviral prophylaxis can prevent reactivation,it increases cost and still has risk of delayed reactivation after stopping antivirals and close follow-up and on-demand treatment is a good alternative for patients at risk of reactivation.

Clinical Exploration of Immunosuppressants Combined with Abiraterone in the Treatment of Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor with a high incidence in elderly men.In recent years,with the improvement of people’s living standards and the advancement of detection technology,the incidence of prostate cancer has been increasing year by year.Castration-resistant prostate cancer(CRPC)is a highly challenging type of advanced prostate cancer treatment,which clinically shows resistance to hormonal deprivation therapy.The overall treatment efficacy of CRPC is currently poor and further relevant therapeutic studies are needed to improve patient survival and quality of life.Immunosuppressants can play a role in combating the immune system of tumors,and abiraterone has also achieved remarkable results in prostate cancer treatment.This study will investigate the possible clinical effects and safety of immunosuppressants combined with abiraterone in the treatment of metastatic CRPC.The population-based study will provide clinicians with more effective treatment options,as well as enhance the understanding of novel combination therapy strategies to be implemented in the future for such patients.

A compact liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry instrument for the quantitation of immunosuppressants

Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS) plays an important role in clinical diagnostics. Although LC-MS/MS is superior in terms of accurately quantifying molecules in complex matrices,instrument footprint, operation and maintenance complexity also hinder its expansion as the analytical technique of choice. In this study, a compact LC-MS instrument was developed, in which an assembled liquid chromatograph was coupled with a miniature ion trap mass spectrometer. The overall instrument has a footprint of 69 cm × 31 cm × 31 cm, and it requires no gas supply as well as minimum maintenance. Furthermore, the use of LC-MS is in accord with conventional clinical diagnostic protocols, and the choice of ion trap offers tandem MS performance. The results showed that the use of LC could improve both mixture analysis capability and detection sensitivity of the miniature mass spectrometer. After optimization, feasibility of this instrument in clinical practice was demonstrated by the quantitation of four widely used immunosuppressants in blood samples. Relatively good linearities were obtained, which spanned the reference ranges of effective therapeutic concentrations of each immunosuppressant. Intraday and inter-day accuracy and precision of analytical method were also assessed. This work showed that a compact LC-MS instrument could be used in clinical diagnosis, either to replace conventional lab-scale instruments or to be used in POCT applications.

The analysis of the adherence of liver transplant recipients to immunosuppressant treatment, their self-control, and self-management in the post-transplantation period

Background and amis:In our study,it was aimed to investigate the adherence of liver transplant recipients to immunosuppressant therapy,their self-control,and their self-management in the post-transplantation period.Methods:The sample of this descriptive and cross-sectional study was composed of liver transplant recipients.The personal information form,Immunosuppressant Therapy Adherence Scale,and the Liver Self-Control and SelfManagement Scale were used to collect data,and descriptive statistical methods,independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance analysis was used to analyze the collected data.Results:In light of the data collected in this study,it was identified that,of all recipients,73.6%were 45–64 years old,72.5%were male,25.2%were workers,and 44.6%had equivalent income and expenses.It was observed that the recipients did not fully adhere to the immunosuppressant therapy regimen,and their self-control and selfmanagement levels were below the medium level.Conclusion:The social support system of liver transplant recipients is very important.Recipients with a good social support system can receive caregiver support from their relatives,thereby supporting their self-control and selfmanagement.Both liver transplant patients and the people providing care to them should be simultaneously provided with training programs and given information,and both groups should be supported in treatment and care processes.

Efficacy and safety of carrimycin in ten patients with severe pneumonia following solid organ transplantation

BACKGROUND The number of patients undergoing solid organ transplantation has increased annually.However,infections in solid organ transplant recipients can have a severe effect on patient survival owing to the continued use of immunosuppressants.Carrimycin is a novel macrolide antibiotic produced by genetically engineered streptomyces spiramyceticus harboring a 4’’-O-isovaleryltransferase gene(ist)from streptomyces thermotoleran.Carrimycin has good antibacterial and antiviral effects.However,no relevant studies have been conducted on the efficacy and safety of carrimycin in patients with severe pneumonia(SP)after solid organ transplantation.AIM To explore the efficacy and safety of carrimycin in patients with SP after solid organ transplantation to provide a medication reference for clinical treatment.METHODS In March 2022,ten patients with SP following solid-organ transplantation were treated at our hospital between January 2021 and March 2022.When the condition was critical and difficult to control with other drugs,carrimycin was administered.These ten patients'clinical features and treatment protocols were retrospectively analyzed,and the efficacy and safety of carrimycin for treating SP following solid organ transplantation were evaluated.RESULTS All ten patients were included in the analysis.Regarding etiological agent detection,there were three cases of fungal pneumonia,two cases of bacterial pneumonia,two cases of Pneumocystis pneumonia,and three cases of mixed infections.After treatment with carrimycin,the disease in seven patients significantly improved,the course of the disease was significantly shortened,fever was quickly controlled,chest computed tomography was significantly improved,and oxygenation was significantly improved.Finally,the patients were discharged after curing.One patient died of acute respiratory distress syndrome,and two patients discontinued treatment.CONCLUSION Carrimycin is a safe and effective treatment modality for SP following solid organ transplantation.Carrimycin may have antibacterial and antiviral effects in patients with SP following solid organ transplantation.

A Bronchopulmonary Onset of Candidemia Revealing a Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

Candidemia is defined as being a yeast infection confirmed by the presence of at least one positive Candida blood culture. It is a life threatening infection causing high mortality. The clinical signs are generally compatible with the causative agent (whether there is a deep venous catheter or not). On the other hand and according to the 2012 Revised Chapel Hill Classification, granulomatosis with polyangiitis GPA is classified as a vasculitis associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies ANCA. It is a systemic disease characterized by the anatomopathological aspect of granuloma. We report the case of a patient who presented an atypical and a very rare revealing mode of GPA which was a bronchopulmonary candidiasis complicated by candidemia. Despite its controversy, the combination in the acute phase of antifungal treatment based on intravenous voriconazole and glucocorticoid therapy has made it possible to control candidemia and calm vasculitis.

Curing Hepatitis C in Liver Transplant Recipients Is Associated with Changes in Immunosuppressant Use

Background and Aims:All-oral interlferon-free antivirals are highly effective in treating recurrent hepatitis C (HCV) infection in liver transplant (LT) recipients.The aim of the study was to assess immunosuppression needs after achieving a sustained viral response (SVR).Methods:We compared immunosuppression needs before and after achieving a SVR in adult LT recipients treated for recurrent HCV infection with alloral direct acting agents.Results:We identified 52 liver LT treated recipients who achieved a SVR.The median (25th and 75th percentile interquartile range [IQR]) age was 62 years (57.75,65).Most recipients received tacrolimus (TAC) for their immunosuppressant regimen.After achieving SVR,there was no statistically significant difference in daily dose of TAC unadjusted per weight (p > 0.05).However,there was a statistically significant decrease in daily dose of TAC adjusted per weight,serum levels of TAC,and the product of glomerular filtration rate and TAC.No statistically significant differences in cyclosporine unadjusted/adjusted per weight daily dose or serum levels were noted.Conclusions:Immunosuppression needs were increased for those patients treated with TAC but not cyclosporine.LT recipients prescribed TAC require close monitoring after treatment completion to avoid potential risk of acute rejection.

Application of immunosuppressant facilitates the therapy of optic neuritis combined with Sj（o）gren＇s syndrome

Background Optic neuritis （ON） is often the first symptom of multiple sclerosis （MS） and neuromyelitis optica （NMO） while there has been very little research reported on ON combined with Sj（o）gren＇s syndrome （SS）.The aim of this study is to provide different treatments and services for and NMO patients combined with SS.Methods Twenty-seven patients with ON combined SS were divided into two groups：corticosteroid group （C group,methylprednisolone sodium succinate,14 patients） and corticosteroid＋ immunosuppressant group （C＋I group,leflunomide,13 patients）.ON relapse times in 1 year after treatment,number of patients who relapsed to NMO/MS in 1 years,visual acuity and retina nerve fiber layer （RNFL） thickness were measured.Mann Whitney-Wilcoxon test was used to compare continuous variables and Chi-square test or Fisher＇s exact test was to compare proportions.Results ON combined with SS patients had higher incidence rates in middle-aged women who have binocular damage and heavier visual function damage or when there is an easy relapse,and the patients are often hormone dependent.The patients are more likely anti-aquaporin-4 IgG seropositive （70.4％）.They are liable to form a centrocecal scotoma and tubular vision.The times of relapse decreased in patients who used immunosuppressant,and a significant difference was found between immunosuppressant and non-immunosuppressant groups in visual acuity recovery during 6-month followup period （P ＜0.05）; however,the RNFL thickness at the four quadrants was not significantly different.Conclusions The effect of immunosuppressant plus corticosteroid on the early onset of ON combined with SS was to provide ON remedy and to prevent recurrence in clinics.This study provides a significant reference for the prevention and treatment of ON on the basis of immunosuppressant and corticosteroid.

Sjogren＇s syndrome with extremely elevated plasma alpha-fetoprotein that responded to immunosuppressant treatment

We report a case with extremely elevated tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein （AFP） and jaundice that were caused by primary Sj6gren＇s syndrome but not hepatocellular carcinoma. High plasma AFP alone is not pathognomonic for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, and can be caused by autoimmune liver damage.

Effects of Rosa roxburghii&edible fungus fermentation broth on immune response and gut microbiota in immunosuppressed mice

With the rise of probiotics fermentation in food industry,fermented foods have attracted worldwide attention.In this study,protective effects of Rosa roxburghii&edible fungus fermentation broth(REFB)on immune function and gut health in Cyclophosphamide induced immunosuppressed mice were investigated.Results showed that REFB could improve the immune organ index,and promote the proliferation and differentiation of splenic T lymphocytes.In addition,it attenuated intestinal mucosal damage and improved intestinal cellular immunity.REFB administration also up-regulated the expression of IL-4,INF-γ,TNF-α,T-bet and GATA-3 mRNA in small intestine.Furthermore,administration of REFB modulated gut microbiota composition and increased the relative abundance of beneficial genus,such as Bacteroides.It also increased the production of fecal short-chain fatty acids.These indicate that REFB has the potential to improve immunity,alleviate intestinal injury and regulate gut microbiota in immunosuppressed mice.

Mechanisms of tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment formation in esophageal cancer

As a highly invasive malignancy,esophageal cancer(EC)is a global health issue,and was the eighth most prevalent cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancerrelated death worldwide in 2020.Due to its highly immunogenic nature,emerging immunotherapy approaches,such as immune checkpoint blockade,have demonstrated promising efficacy in treating EC;however,certain limitations and challenges still exist.In addition,tumors may exhibit primary or acquired resistance to immunotherapy in the tumor immune microenvironment(TIME);thus,understanding the TIME is urgent and crucial,especially given the importance of an immunosuppressive microenvironment in tumor progression.The aim of this review was to better elucidate the mechanisms of the suppressive TIME,including cell infiltration,immune cell subsets,cytokines and signaling pathways in the tumor microenvironment of EC patients,as well as the downregulated expression of major histocompatibility complex molecules in tumor cells,to obtain a better understanding of the differences in EC patient responses to immunotherapeutic strategies and accurately predict the efficacy of immunotherapies.Therefore,personalized treatments could be developed to maximize the advantages of immunotherapy.

Pleural empyema with endobronchial mass due to Rhodococcus equi infection after renal transplantation: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Kidney transplantation is the best option for patients with end-stage renal disease.However,the need for lifelong immunosuppression results in renal transplant recipients being susceptible to various infections.Rhodococcus equi(R.equi)is a rare opportunistic pathogen in humans,and there are limited reports of infection with R.equi in post-renal transplant recipients and no uniform standard of treat-ment.This article reports on the diagnosis and treatment of a renal transplant recipient infected with R.equi 21 mo postoperatively and summarizes the charac-teristics of infection with R.equi after renal transplantation,along with a detailed review of the literature.Here,we present the case of a 25-year-old man who was infected with R.equi 21 mo after renal transplantation.Although the clinical features at the time of presentation were not specific,chest computed tomography(CT)showed a large volume of pus in the right thoracic cavity and right middle lung atelectasis,and fiberoptic bronchoscopy showed an endobronchial mass in the right middle and lower lobe orifices.Bacterial culture and metagenomic next-generation sequen-cing sequencing of the pus were suggestive of R.equi infection.The immunosup-pressive drugs were immediately suspended and intravenous vancomycin and azithromycin were administered,along with adequate drainage of the abscess.The endobronchial mass was then resected.After the patient’s clinical symptoms and chest CT presentation resolved,he was switched to intravenous ciprofloxacin and azithromycin,followed by oral ciprofloxacin and azithromycin.The patient was re-hospitalized 2 wk after discharge for recurrence of R.equi infection.He recovered after another round of adequate abscess drainage and intravenous ciprofloxacin and azithromycin.CONCLUSION Infection with R.equi in renal transplant recipients is rare and complex,and the clinical presentation lacks specificity.Elaborate antibiotic therapy is required,and adequate abscess drainage and surgical excision are necessary.Given the recurrent nature of R.equi,patients need to be followed-up closely.

Mechanisms of myeloid-derived suppressor cell-mediated immunosuppression in colorectal cancer and related therapies

Severe immunosuppression is a hallmark of colorectal cancer(CRC).Myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs),one of the most abundant components of the tumor stroma,play an important role in the invasion,metastasis,and immune escape of CRC.MDSCs create an immunosuppressive microenvironment by inhibiting the proliferation and activation of immunoreactive cells,including T and natural killer cells,as well as by inducing the proliferation of immunosuppressive cells,such as regulatory T cells and tumor-associated macrophages,which,in turn,promote the growth of cancer cells.Thus,MDSCs are key contributors to the emergence of an immunosup-pressive microenvironment in CRC and play an important role in the breakdown of antitumor immunity.In this narrative review,we explore the mechanisms through which MDSCs contribute to the immunosuppressive microenvironment,the current therapeutic approaches and technologies targeting MDSCs,and the therapeutic potential of modulating MDSCs in CRC treatment.This study provides ideas and methods to enhance survival rates in patients with CRC.

Acute pancreatitis as a complication of acute COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients

BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis is a rare extrapulmonary manifestation of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)but its full correlation with COVID-19 infection remains unknown.AIM To identify acute pancreatitis’occurrence,clinical presentation and outcomes in a cohort of kidney transplant recipients with acute COVID-19.METHODS A retrospective observational single-centre cohort study from a transplant centre in Croatia for all adult renal transplant recipients with a functioning kidney allograft between March 2020 and August 2022 to record cases of acute pancreatitis during acute COVID-19.Data were obtained from hospital electronic medical records.Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection was proven by a positive SARS-CoV-2 real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction on the nasopharyngeal swab.RESULTS Four hundred and eight out of 1432(28.49%)patients who received a renal allograft developed COVID-19 disease.The analyzed cohort included 321 patients(57%males).One hundred and fifty patients(46.7%)received at least one dose of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine before the infection.One hundred twenty-five(39.1%)patients required hospitalization,141(44.1%)developed pneumonia and four patients(1.3%)required mechanical ventilation.Treatment included immunosuppression modification in 233 patients(77.1%)and remdesivir in 53 patients(16.6%),besides the other supportive measures.In the study cohort,only one transplant recipient(0.3%)developed acute pancreatitis during acute COVID-19,presenting with abdominal pain and significantly elevated pancreatic enzymes.She survived without complications with a stable kidney allograft function.CONCLUSION Although rare,acute pancreatitis may complicate the course of acute COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients.The mechanism of injury to the pancreas and its correlation with the severity of the COVID-19 infection in kidney transplant recipients warrants further research.