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Süsal C, Alvarez CM, Benning L, Daniel V, Zeier M, Schaier M, Morath C, Speer C. The balance between memory and regulatory cell populations in kidney transplant recipients with operational tolerance. Clin Exp Immunol 2024; 216:318-330. [PMID: 38393856 PMCID: PMC11097908 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxae018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Donor-reactive memory cells represent a barrier to long-term kidney graft survival. A better understanding of regulatory mechanisms that counterbalance alloreactive memory responses may help to identify patients with operational tolerance. This prospective study investigated the equilibrium between memory T-cell subsets and regulatory T or B cells (Tregs, Bregs) in peripheral blood of kidney transplant recipients with operational tolerance (N = 8), chronic rejection (N = 8), and different immunosuppressive treatment regimens (N = 81). Patients on hemodialysis and healthy individuals served as controls (N = 50). In addition, the expression of Treg- and Breg-associated molecule genes was analyzed. Patients with chronic rejection showed a disrupted memory T-cell composition with a significantly higher frequency of circulating CD8+ terminally differentiated effector memory (TEMRA) T cells than patients with operational tolerance, patients on hemodialysis, or healthy controls (P < 0.001). Low frequency of CD8+ TEMRA and high frequency of Tregs and transitional Bregs were found in operationally tolerant patients. Consequently, operationally tolerant patients showed, as compared to all other transplant recipients with different immunosuppressive regiments, the lowest ratios between CD8+ TEMRA T cells and Tregs or Bregs (for both P < 0.001). Moreover, a specific peripheral blood transcription pattern was found in operationally tolerant patients with an increased expression of Breg- and Treg-associated genes CD22 and FoxP3 and a decreased FcγRIIA/FcγRIIB transcript ratio (for all P < 0.001). In conclusion, monitoring the balance between circulating CD8+ TEMRA T cells and regulatory cell subsets and their transcripts may help to distinguish transplant recipients with operational tolerance from recipients at risk of graft loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caner Süsal
- Institute of Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Transplant Immunology Research Center of Excellence, Koç University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Cristiam M Alvarez
- Grupo de Inmunología Celular e Inmunogenética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Louise Benning
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Volker Daniel
- Institute of Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Zeier
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Schaier
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Morath
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudius Speer
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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2
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Alexander MP, Zaidi M, Larson N, Mullan A, Pavelko KD, Stegall MD, Bentall A, Wouters BG, McKee T, Taner T. Exploring the single-cell immune landscape of kidney allograft inflammation using imaging mass cytometry. Am J Transplant 2024; 24:549-563. [PMID: 37979921 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajt.2023.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Kidney allograft inflammation, mostly attributed to rejection and infection, is an important cause of graft injury and loss. Standard histopathological assessment of allograft inflammation provides limited insights into biological processes and the immune landscape. Here, using imaging mass cytometry with a panel of 28 validated biomarkers, we explored the single-cell landscape of kidney allograft inflammation in 32 kidney transplant biopsies and 247 high-dimensional histopathology images of various phenotypes of allograft inflammation (antibody-mediated rejection, T cell-mediated rejection, BK nephropathy, and chronic pyelonephritis). Using novel analytical tools, for cell segmentation, we segmented over 900 000 cells and developed a tissue-based classifier using over 3000 manually annotated kidney microstructures (glomeruli, tubules, interstitium, and arteries). Using PhenoGraph, we identified 11 immune and 9 nonimmune clusters and found a high prevalence of memory T cell and macrophage-enriched immune populations across phenotypes. Additionally, we trained a machine learning classifier to identify spatial biomarkers that could discriminate between the different allograft inflammatory phenotypes. Further validation of imaging mass cytometry in larger cohorts and with more biomarkers will likely help interrogate kidney allograft inflammation in more depth than has been possible to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam P Alexander
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
| | - Mark Zaidi
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Nicholas Larson
- Division of Clinical Trials and Biostatistics, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Aidan Mullan
- Division of Clinical Trials and Biostatistics, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kevin D Pavelko
- Immune Monitoring Core Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Mark D Stegall
- Departments of Surgery and Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Andrew Bentall
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Bradly G Wouters
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Canada; Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Trevor McKee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Pathomics Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timucin Taner
- Departments of Surgery and Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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3
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Kim HD, Bae H, Yun S, Lee H, Eum SH, Yang CW, Oh EJ, Chung BH. Impact of Induction Immunosuppressants on T Lymphocyte Subsets after Kidney Transplantation: A Prospective Observational Study with Focus on Anti-Thymocyte Globulin and Basiliximab Induction Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14288. [PMID: 37762590 PMCID: PMC10532255 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Induction immunosuppressive therapy for kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) primarily includes interleukin-2 receptor antagonists, such as basiliximab (BXM) or lymphocyte-depleting agents, and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG). This study aimed to investigate their effects on T cell dynamics during the early post-transplantation period. This prospective observational study included 157 KTRs. Peripheral blood samples were collected from each patient within 5 days before and 4 and 12 weeks after transplantation. Flow cytometric analysis was performed to assess various T cell subsets whose changes were then analyzed. In the ATG group, CD4+ T cell expression decreased significantly compared with that in the BXM group. However, CD4+CD161+ and CD4+CD25+CD127low T cell expression levels increased significantly. In the CD8+ T cell subset, a decrease in CD8+CD28nullCD57+ and CD8+CCR7+ T cell expression was observed in the ATG group. However, among patients diagnosed with biopsy-proven acute rejection, T cell subset expression did not significantly differ relative to non-rejection cases. In conclusion, ATG induction therapy resulted in more pronounced changes in T lymphocyte subsets than BXM induction, with increased CD4+CD161+ and CD4+CD25+CD127low T cells and an early decrease in CD8+CD28nullCD57+ and CD8+CCR7+ T cells, some of which are associated with acute rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyung Duk Kim
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 03312, Republic of Korea;
| | - Hyunjoo Bae
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (H.B.); (S.Y.)
| | - Sojeong Yun
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (H.B.); (S.Y.)
| | - Hanbi Lee
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (H.L.); (C.W.Y.)
| | - Sang Hun Eum
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon 21431, Republic of Korea;
| | - Chul Woo Yang
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (H.L.); (C.W.Y.)
| | - Eun-Jee Oh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
- Research and Development Institute for In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Ha Chung
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (H.L.); (C.W.Y.)
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Antibody-mediated allograft rejection is associated with an increase in peripheral differentiated CD28-CD8+ T cells – Analyses of a cohort of 1032 kidney transplant recipients. EBioMedicine 2022; 83:104226. [PMID: 35988467 PMCID: PMC9420477 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Leonhard J, Schaier M, Kälble F, Eckstein V, Zeier M, Steinborn A. Chronic Kidney Failure Provokes the Enrichment of Terminally Differentiated CD8 + T Cells, Impairing Cytotoxic Mechanisms After Kidney Transplantation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:752570. [PMID: 35592311 PMCID: PMC9110814 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.752570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic kidney failure (KF) provokes the development of immune senescent CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, affecting the occurrence of graft rejection, viral infections, and malignancies after kidney transplantation. In this study, we analyzed the impact of KF, subsequent dialysis treatment, and kidney transplantation on the differentiation of CD8+CD31+CD45RA+CCR7+ recent thymic emigrant (CCR7+ RTE) Tregs/Tresps into CD8+CD31-CD45RA- memory (CD31- memory) Tregs/Tresps and its effect on the release of cytokines, Fas receptor, Fas ligand as well as cytotoxic mediators by naïve, central memory (CM), effector memory (EM), and terminally differentiated effector memory (TEMRA) Tresps. We found that normal age-dependent differentiation of CD8+ Tregs/Tresps generally differs in the way that TEMRA cells only arise in Tresps. Compared to healthy controls, KF patients revealed an age-independently decreased frequency of CCR7+ RTE Tregs/Tresps, but increased frequencies of CCR7+ MN Tregs/Tresps and CD31- memory Tregs/Tresps, suggesting an increased differentiation via CD31+CD45RA- memory (CD31+ memory) Tregs/Tresps into CD31- memory Tregs/Tresps. Intensified differentiation via CD31+ memory Tresps increased the emergence of apoptosis-resistant CM Tresps with strong Fas ligand-mediated cytotoxicity. CCR7+ RTE Tresp proliferation generated TEMRA Tresps, secreting high levels of cytotoxic mediators. In dialysis and transplant patients, CD31+ TEMRA Tregs/Tresps accumulated, proposing an impaired CCR7+ RTE Treg/Tresp differentiation via CD31+ memory Tregs/Tresps into CD31- memory Tregs/Tresps. Increased percentages of CD31- TEMRA Tresps, but not of CD31- TEMRA Tregs, were observed in all patient groups, indicating impaired proliferation of CCR7+ RTE Tresps, but not of CCR7+ RTE Tregs, into CD31- memory Tregs/Tresps. In transplant patients, CCR7+ RTE Tregs accumulated, while frequencies of CCR7+ RTE Tresps were decreased, suggesting that the immunosuppressive therapy only prevented excessive CCR7+ RTE Treg differentiation but not that of CCR7+ RTE Tresps. Presumably, this caused the accumulation of TEMRA Tresps with decreased release of cytotoxic mediators, such as perforin. In conclusion, we propose that chronic KF affects both the differentiation of CD8+ Tregs and CD8+ Tresps. However, the immunosuppressive therapy after transplantation may successfully prevent excessive Treg differentiation, but not as suffciently that of Tresps. Therefore, the risk for graft rejection may be reduced, while the susceptibility for infections and malignancies may be increased in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Leonhard
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Schaier
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Florian Kälble
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Volker Eckstein
- Department of Internal Medicine V (Hematology), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Zeier
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrea Steinborn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Chellappa S, Kushekhar K, Hagness M, Horneland R, Taskén K, Aandahl EM. The Presence of Activated T Cell Subsets prior to Transplantation Is Associated with Increased Rejection Risk in Pancreas Transplant Recipients. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 207:2501-2511. [PMID: 34607938 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2001103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Pancreas and islet transplantation (PTx) are currently the only curative treatment options for type 1 diabetes. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells play a pivotal role in graft function, rejection, and survival. However, characterization of immune cell status from patients with and without rejection of the pancreas graft is lacking. We performed multiparameter immune phenotyping of T cells from PTx patients prior to and 1 y post-PTx in nonrejectors and histologically confirmed rejectors. Our results suggest that rejection is associated with presence of elevated levels of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells with a gut-homing phenotype both prior to and 1 y post-PTx. The CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were highly differentiated, with elevated levels of type 1 inflammatory markers (T-bet and INF-γ) and cytotoxic components (granzyme B and perforin). Furthermore, we observed increased levels of activated FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in rejectors, which was associated with a hyporesponsive phenotype of activated effector T cells. Finally, activated T and B cell status was correlated in PTx patients, indicating a potential interplay between these cell types. In vitro treatment of healthy CD4+ and CD8+ T cells with tacrolimus abrogated the proliferation and cytokine (INF-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α) secretion associated with the type 1 inflammatory phenotype observed in pre- and post-PTx rejectors. Together, our results suggest the presence of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells prior to PTx confer increased risk for rejection. These findings may be used to identify patients that may benefit from more intense immunosuppressive treatment that should be monitored more closely after transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stalin Chellappa
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,K.G. Jebsen Centre for Cancer Immunotherapy, Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; and
| | - Kushi Kushekhar
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,K.G. Jebsen Centre for Cancer Immunotherapy, Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; and
| | - Morten Hagness
- Department of Transplantation Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rune Horneland
- Department of Transplantation Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kjetil Taskén
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,K.G. Jebsen Centre for Cancer Immunotherapy, Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; and
| | - Einar Martin Aandahl
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; .,K.G. Jebsen Centre for Cancer Immunotherapy, Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; and.,Department of Transplantation Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
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