Monotherapy with the vitamin D3 analogue MC1288 does not result in prolonged kidney allograft survival in rhesus monkeys

An Evaluation of 20 Years of EU Framework Programme-Funded Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Translational Research in Non-Human Primates

Aging western societies are facing an increasing prevalence of chronic inflammatory and degenerative diseases for which often no effective treatments exist, resulting in increasing health-care expenditure. Despite high investments in drug development, the number of promising new drug candidates decreases. We propose that preclinical research in non-human primates can help to bridge the gap between drug discovery and drug prescription. Translational research covers various stages of drug development of which preclinical efficacy tests in valid animal models is usually the last stage. Preclinical research in non-human primates may be essential in the evaluation of new drugs or therapies when a relevant rodent model is not available. Non-human primate models for life-threatening or severely debilitating diseases in humans are available at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC). These have been instrumental in translational research for several decades. In order to stimulate European health research and innovation from bench to bedside, the European Commission has invested heavily in access to non-human primate research for more than 20 years. BPRC has hosted European users in a series of transnational access programs covering a wide range of research areas with the common theme being immune-mediated inflammatory disorders. We present an overview of the results and give an account of the studies performed as part of European Union Framework Programme (EU FP)-funded translational non-human primate research performed at the BPRC. These data illustrate the value of translational non-human primate research for the development of new therapies and emphasize the importance of EU FP funding in drug development.

Vitamin D in solid organ transplantation with special emphasis on kidney transplantation

Within the past decades, vitamin D was identified as having additional physiological functions far beyond calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. Stimulated by the discovery of the vitamin D receptor in a broad range of tissues as well as the expression of 1α-hydroxylase, the enzyme responsible for the activation of vitamin D, it became evident that the actions of vitamin D are not restricted to cells involved in mineral and bone metabolism. In fact, it affects proliferation, differentiation, and function of a large number of different cell types including cells of the immune system. Vitamin D receptor agonists were found to exert immunosuppressive effects on the adaptive immune system, thus being able to mediate immunologic tolerance. However, they promote the innate immune system and thereby improve the ability of the host to combat invading pathogens. This review summarizes our current understanding of vitamin D as an immunomodulatory agent with special emphasis on its clinical implications in the transplant setting.