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Kortbeek S, Anderson SG, Alonso EM, Rand EB, Bucuvalas J, Mazariegos GV, Campbell KM, Lobritto SJ, Feldman AG, Mysore KR, Anand R, Selzner N, Ng VL. Immunosuppression-Free Life after Pediatric Liver Transplant: A Case-Control Study from the Society of Pediatric Liver Transplant (SPLIT) Registry. J Pediatr 2024; 264:113744. [PMID: 37726087 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare long-term outcomes of pediatric liver transplant (LT) recipients off immunosuppression (IS) with matched controls on IS using data from the Society of Pediatric Liver Transplant (SPLIT) registry. STUDY DESIGN This was a retrospective case-control study. SPLIT participants <18 years of age, ≥4 years after isolated LT, and off IS for ≥1 year (cases) were age- and sex-matched 1:2 to patients with the same primary diagnosis and post-LT follow-up duration (controls). Primary outcomes included retransplantation, allograft rejection, IS comorbidities, and prevalence of SPLIT-derived composite ideal outcome (c-IO) achieved at the end of the follow-up period. Differences were compared using multiple linear regression for continuous outcomes and logistic regression for dichotomous data. RESULTS The study cohort was composed of 33 cases (42.4% male, 60.6% biliary atresia, median age at LT of 0.7 [P25, P75, 0.5, 1.6] years, median IS withdrawal time of 9 [P25, P75, 6, 12] years after LT) and 66 age- and sex-matched controls. No cases required retransplantation. Cases and controls had similar growth parameters, laboratory values, calculated glomerular filtration rates, rates of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease, graft rejection, and attainment of c-IO. CONCLUSIONS No differences in allograft rejection rates, IS complications, or c-IO prevalence were seen between SPLIT patients off IS and age- and sex-matched controls remaining on IS. Discontinuation of IS most commonly occurred in the context of rigorously designed IS withdrawal trials. The available sample size was small, affecting generalizability to the broader pediatric LT population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Kortbeek
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Alberta Children's Hospital, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Estella M Alonso
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Elizabeth B Rand
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - John Bucuvalas
- Division of Pediatric Hepatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - George V Mazariegos
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Kathleen M Campbell
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Steven J Lobritto
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Amy G Feldman
- Division of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Digestive Health Institute, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO
| | - Krupa R Mysore
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX
| | | | - Nazia Selzner
- Ajmera Transplant Center, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vicky L Ng
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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2
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Antala S, DiNorcia J, Bucuvalas J. Balancing immunosuppression in pediatric liver transplantation: Playing the long game. Pediatr Transplant 2023; 27:e14575. [PMID: 37439035 DOI: 10.1111/petr.14575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The overarching goal in the care of pediatric liver transplant recipients is to optimize allograft and patient health. Balancing immunosuppression to maintain allograft health while avoiding medication side effects is essential for long-term survival and optimal quality of life in pediatric liver transplant recipients. Utilizing precision medicine to personalize immunosuppression, which includes minimization and withdrawal, is core to this effort. The unique anatomy and physiology of the liver make it more tolerant to immune-mediated injury and a more favorable organ for immunosuppression minimization and withdrawal. However, several challenges exist. Standard biochemical values and histologic features may not reliably predict allograft health after a reduction in immunosuppression. Additionally, biochemical values alone do not reliably identify which patients can successfully develop operational tolerance, as there may be occult allograft injury despite normal liver enzymes. Finally, the durability of tolerance after successful reduction in immunosuppression remains uncertain over time. Innovative tools show promise in circumventing these challenges, but more research is needed to determine actual clinical utility. While immunosuppression-free transplant may not be a current reality for most pediatric liver transplant recipients, strategies to safely minimize immunosuppression without compromising allograft health are within reach. Each liver allograft and recipient pair requires a different degree of immune modulation, and through a structured process of minimization and withdrawal, immunosuppression can indeed be tailored in a precise, personalized way to optimize outcomes. This review focuses on the progress that has been made to individualize immunosuppression in pediatric liver transplantation to ensure optimal allograft and recipient health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Antala
- Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine, Kravis Children's Hospital at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Joseph DiNorcia
- Recanati-Miller Transplantation Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City, New York, USA
| | - John Bucuvalas
- Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine, Kravis Children's Hospital at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York, USA
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Velagala VR, Velagala NR, Singh A, Kumar T, Thakre S, Lamture Y. Immunological Nuances and Complications of Pediatric Organ Transplant: A Narrative Review. Cureus 2023; 15:e46309. [PMID: 37916238 PMCID: PMC10616683 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Organ transplantation is considered an exaggerated immune state in which the body reacts in an elaborate cascade of reactions against the lifesaving graft transplanted. Unrepairable organ damage is the main indication for a pediatric patient to undergo a transplant. The host and the donor must fulfill the criteria for a successful transplant to have as few side effects as possible. There has been much-needed research in the domain of surgery of organ transplantation, thereby extending into the pediatric age group. This article elaborates on the post-transplant management, the immuno-biochemistry aspect, and its post-surgery treatment. The post-surgery period requires great emphasis as morbidity and mortality are highest. There is much to understand about managing transplant patients to avoid complications such as infections, hypertension, or side effects of immunosuppressive drugs. The treating clinician faces the challenges of managing the dose and frequency of immuno-suppressive medicines to prevent complications in the patients. If the dose is inadequate, there are chances of graft rejection. If the immuno-suppression is prolonged, there may be chances of infections in the patient. This article aims to summarize the mechanism of graft rejection and put forth the need for further research about creating a universal protocol for managing a patient's immune system post-transplant. The authors hope this protocol will help the clinician better understand the patient's current state and help in appropriately using immuno-suppressive drugs. It calls upon the need for a reliable and easily repeatable battery of investigations that will help solve this dilemma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek R Velagala
- Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Namrata R Velagala
- Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Arihant Singh
- Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Tanishq Kumar
- Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Swedaj Thakre
- Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Yashwant Lamture
- Surgery, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
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Shamsaeefar A, Kazemi K, Nikoupour H, Moosavi SA, Mashhadiagha A, Sayadi M, Gholami S, Motazedian N, Nikeghbalian S, Malekhosseini SA. Prope tolerance after pediatric liver transplantation: Experience at Shiraz Organ Transplant Center. Transpl Immunol 2023; 78:101827. [PMID: 37003498 DOI: 10.1016/j.trim.2023.101827] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children receive transplants at a younger age, and the period of immunosuppression therapy may extend over decades. However, immunosuppression seems to be responsible for long-term mortality and morbidity. Pediatric liver transplant recipients can benefit from achieving immune tolerance and the opportunity of freedom from lifelong immunosuppression. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of prope tolerance among pediatric liver transplant recipients and the characteristics of these patients. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study of pediatric liver transplant recipients, the medical records of transplant recipients treated at Shiraz Organ Transplant Center between 1994 and 2017 were reviewed. Prope tolerance was defined as normal laboratory values and stable clinical status on low-dose monotherapy. Children treated with low-dose monotherapy were categorized as the prope tolerant group. We compared the characteristics of prope tolerant recipients on low-dose monotherapy with patients on standard immunosuppression, i.e. full-dose tacrolimus plus steroids and mycophenolate mofetil. The data were analyzed with the t-test, chi-squared test, and a Cox proportional hazard model at a 5% significance level in SPSS software version 16. RESULTS A total of 585 children with a mean age of 8.32 ± 5.23 years were enrolled. 341 patients were categorized as prope tolerant and 244 comprised the full immunosuppression regimen group. Mean age at transplantation and rejection frequency were lower in the prope tolerant group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). Based on the underlying diseases, metabolic/genetic, biliary tract, and cryptogenic liver diseases were significantly more prevalent in the prope tolerant group (p < 0.001). However, autoimmune liver disease was found to be more prevalent in the full immunosuppression regimen group. Also, those who received living organs (p = 0.001) and recipients of organs from female donors had a greater likelihood of achieving prope tolerant. According to the multiple Cox regression results, age at transplantation (p = 0.022), rejection frequency (p < 0.001), and autoimmune liver diseases (p = 0.028) had a prognostic effect on prope tolerance. CONCLUSION Factors as underlying disease, age at transplantation, and rejection frequency were factors that were predictive of prope tolerance in this sample of children. However, the risk of rejection should be considered during the tapering period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Shamsaeefar
- Abu Ali Sina Organ Transplant Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Kourosh Kazemi
- Abu Ali Sina Organ Transplant Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hamed Nikoupour
- Abu Ali Sina Organ Transplant Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Seyed Ali Moosavi
- Shiraz Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Amirali Mashhadiagha
- Shiraz Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mehrab Sayadi
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sivash Gholami
- Abu Ali Sina Organ Transplant Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Nasrin Motazedian
- Shiraz Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Saman Nikeghbalian
- Abu Ali Sina Organ Transplant Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Gama JFG, Cardoso LMDF, Bisaggio RDC, Lagrota-Candido J, Henriques-Pons A, Alves LA. Immunological Tolerance in Liver Transplant Recipients: Putative Involvement of Neuroendocrine-Immune Interactions. Cells 2022; 11:cells11152327. [PMID: 35954171 PMCID: PMC9367574 DOI: 10.3390/cells11152327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The transplantation world changed significantly following the introduction of immunosuppressants, with millions of people saved. Several physicians have noted that liver recipients that do not take their medication for different reasons became tolerant regarding kidney, heart, and lung transplantations at higher frequencies. Most studies have attempted to explain this phenomenon through unique immunological mechanisms and the fact that the hepatic environment is continuously exposed to high levels of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or non-pathogenic microorganism-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) from commensal flora. These components are highly inflammatory in the periphery but tolerated in the liver as part of the normal components that arrive via the hepatic portal vein. These immunological mechanisms are discussed herein based on current evidence, although we hypothesize the participation of neuroendocrine-immune pathways, which have played a relevant role in autoimmune diseases. Cells found in the liver present receptors for several cytokines, hormones, peptides, and neurotransmitters that would allow for system crosstalk. Furthermore, the liver is innervated by the autonomic system and may, thus, be influenced by the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems. This review therefore seeks to discuss classical immunological hepatic tolerance mechanisms and hypothesizes the possible participation of the neuroendocrine-immune system based on the current literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaciara Fernanda Gomes Gama
- Laboratory of Cellular Communication, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil Avenue, 4365-Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21045-900, Brazil; (J.F.G.G.); (L.M.d.F.C.)
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Department of Immunobiology, Biology Institute, Federal Fluminense University (UFF), Gragoatá Bl-M Campus, Niterói 24210-200, Brazil;
| | - Liana Monteiro da Fonseca Cardoso
- Laboratory of Cellular Communication, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil Avenue, 4365-Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21045-900, Brazil; (J.F.G.G.); (L.M.d.F.C.)
| | - Rodrigo da Cunha Bisaggio
- Department of Biotechnology, Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 20270-021, Brazil;
| | - Jussara Lagrota-Candido
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Department of Immunobiology, Biology Institute, Federal Fluminense University (UFF), Gragoatá Bl-M Campus, Niterói 24210-200, Brazil;
| | - Andrea Henriques-Pons
- Laboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Education, and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21041-361, Brazil;
| | - Luiz A. Alves
- Laboratory of Cellular Communication, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil Avenue, 4365-Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21045-900, Brazil; (J.F.G.G.); (L.M.d.F.C.)
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +55-(21)-2562-1816 (ext. 1841)
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Tang Y, Chen J, Chen B, Guo C. Clinical characteristics of immune tolerance after pediatric liver transplantation. BMC Surg 2022; 22:102. [PMID: 35305597 PMCID: PMC8933983 DOI: 10.1186/s12893-021-01402-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Clinical operational tolerance is the ultimate goal for liver transplantation. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of immune tolerance after pediatric liver transplantation and to identify the possible predictors.
Methods
The clinical data from 37 cases of pediatric patients 2 year later after liver transplantation surgery in the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China, were retrospectively analyzed. According to the status of the current immunosuppressant medications of the patients, they were divided into tolerance (n = 15) and Control (n = 22) groups. The current status regarding prope/operational tolerance was reviewed and screened based on the immunosuppressant medications.
Results
The patients in the tolerance group were younger than that of Controls (p < 0.001). The children in the tolerance group experienced no acute rejection episode and exhibited no obvious abnormalities in the liver function during the continuous follow-up period. The primary disease of the tolerance group were more often diagnosed with biliary atresia (p = 0.011), and received with a living donor liver graft (p = 0.005). There were less glomerular function, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension events presented in the tolerance group compared with the control group, indicating low toxicity profile.
Conclusion
In the current study, there were really certain quantity of recipients following liver transplantation attained long term immune tolerance, with low toxicity and satisfied liver graft function. The younger age of the recipient and maternal donor seems to promote long-term clinical immune tolerance. Further work in larger series should be required to describe the overall perspective of tolerance.
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Tanimine N, Ohira M, Tahara H, Ide K, Tanaka Y, Onoe T, Ohdan H. Strategies for Deliberate Induction of Immune Tolerance in Liver Transplantation: From Preclinical Models to Clinical Application. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1615. [PMID: 32849546 PMCID: PMC7412931 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver exhibits intrinsic immune regulatory properties that maintain tolerance to endogenous and exogenous antigens, and provide protection against pathogens. Such an immune privilege contributes to susceptibility to spontaneous acceptance despite major histocompatibility complex mismatch when transplanted in animal models. Furthermore, the presence of a liver allograft can suppress the rejection of other solid tissue/organ grafts from the same donor. Despite this immune privilege of the livers, to control the undesired alloimmune responses in humans, most liver transplant recipients require long-term treatment with immune-suppressive drugs that predispose to cardiometabolic side effects and renal insufficiency. Understanding the mechanism of liver transplant tolerance and crosstalk between a variety of hepatic immune cells, such as dendritic cells, Kupffer cells, liver sinusoidas endothelial cells, hepatic stellate cells and so on, and alloreactive T cells would lead to the development of strategies for deliberate induction of more specific immune tolerance in a clinical setting. In this review article, we focus on results derived from basic studies that have attempted to elucidate the immune modulatory mechanisms of liver constituent cells and clinical trials that induced immune tolerance after liver transplantation by utilizing the immune-privilege potential of the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Tanimine
- Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Masahiro Ohira
- Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Medical Center for Translational and Clinical Research Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tahara
- Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kentaro Ide
- Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yuka Tanaka
- Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takashi Onoe
- Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Kure Medical Center and Chugoku Cancer Center, National Hospital Organization, Kure, Japan
| | - Hideki Ohdan
- Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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Tolerance studies in liver transplantation: are we fooling ourselves? Curr Opin Organ Transplant 2020; 25:151-157. [DOI: 10.1097/mot.0000000000000738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Kim MH, Akbari O, Genyk Y, Kohli R, Emamaullee J. Immunologic benefit of maternal donors in pediatric living donor liver transplantation. Pediatr Transplant 2019; 23:e13560. [PMID: 31402535 DOI: 10.1111/petr.13560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Long-term follow-up has suggested that pediatric LDLT may have superior outcomes compared to deceased donor recipients. In this review, we describe the subset of LDLT recipients with maternal donors that have lower reported rates of rejection and improved allograft survival. RECENT FINDINGS Pediatric LDLT recipients, particularly those with a primary diagnosis of biliary atresia who receive grafts from their mothers, have been reported to have lower rates of acute cellular rejection post-transplant and graft failure. Maternal-fetal microchimerism and the persistence of regulatory T cells may be related to improved outcomes observed in recipients with maternal donors. Further, recent studies have shown that up to 60% of pediatric LDLT recipients can undergo intentional withdrawal of immunosuppression and achieve long-term operational tolerance. The impact of graft type on operational tolerance has not been thoroughly investigated; however, investigation of tolerant pediatric LDLT patients with maternal donors may provide key insights into the mechanisms of immune tolerance. SUMMARY While excellent outcomes can be achieved in pediatric LDLT, there is still a measurable decrease in graft and patient survival over time post-transplant. Recipients of maternal donor liver transplants are a subset of patients who may be advantaged toward improved outcomes by means of immune tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle H Kim
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Omid Akbari
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yuri Genyk
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Pediatric Liver Care Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rohit Kohli
- Pediatric Liver Care Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Juliet Emamaullee
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Pediatric Liver Care Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Manzia TM, Angelico R, Gazia C, Lenci I, Milana M, Ademoyero OT, Pedini D, Toti L, Spada M, Tisone G, Baiocchi L. De novo malignancies after liver transplantation: The effect of immunosuppression-personal data and review of literature. World J Gastroenterol 2019; 25:5356-5375. [PMID: 31558879 PMCID: PMC6761240 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i35.5356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunosuppression has undoubtedly raised the overall positive outcomes in the post-operative management of solid organ transplantation. However, long-term exposure to immunosuppression is associated with critical systemic morbidities. De novo malignancies following orthotopic liver transplants (OLTs) are a serious threat in pediatric and adult transplant individuals. Data from different experiences were reported and compared to assess the connection between immunosuppression and de novo malignancies in liver transplant patients.
AIM To study the role of immunosuppression on the incidence of de novo malignancies in liver transplant recipients.
METHODS A systematic literature examination about de novo malignancies and immunosuppression weaning in adult and pediatric OLT recipients was described in the present review. Worldwide data were collected from highly qualified institutions performing OLTs. Patient follow-up, immunosuppression discontinuation and incidence of de novo malignancies were reported. Likewise, the review assesses the differences in adult and pediatric recipients by describing the adopted immunosuppression regimens and the different type of diagnosed solid and blood malignancy.
RESULTS Emerging evidence suggests that the liver is an immunologically privileged organ able to support immunosuppression discontinuation in carefully selected recipients. Malignancies are often detected in liver transplant patients undergoing daily immunosuppression regimens. Post-transplant lymphoproliferative diseases and skin tumors are the most detected de novo malignancies in the pediatric and adult OLT population, respectively. To date, immunosuppression withdrawal has been achieved in up to 40% and 60% of well-selected adult and pediatric recipients, respectively. In both populations, a clear benefit of immunosuppression weaning protocols on de novo malignancies is difficult to ascertain because data have not been specified in most of the clinical experiences.
CONCLUSION The selected populations of tolerant pediatric and adult liver transplant recipients greatly benefit from immunosuppression weaning. There is still no strong clinical evidence on the usefulness of immunosuppression withdrawal in OLT recipients on malignancies. An interesting focus is represented by the complete reconstitution of the immunological pathways that could help in decreasing the incidence of de novo malignancies and may also help in treating liver transplant patients suffering from cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Maria Manzia
- HPB and Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Roberta Angelico
- Division of Abdominal Transplantation and HPB Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome 00165, Italy
| | - Carlo Gazia
- HPB and Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, United States
| | - Ilaria Lenci
- Hepatology and Liver Transplant Unit, University of Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Martina Milana
- Hepatology and Liver Transplant Unit, University of Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | | | - Domiziana Pedini
- Division of Abdominal Transplantation and HPB Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome 00165, Italy
| | - Luca Toti
- HPB and Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Marco Spada
- Division of Abdominal Transplantation and HPB Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome 00165, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Tisone
- HPB and Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Leonardo Baiocchi
- Hepatology and Liver Transplant Unit, University of Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
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11
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Feng S, Bucuvalas J. Tolerance after liver transplantation: Where are we? Liver Transpl 2017; 23:1601-1614. [PMID: 28834221 DOI: 10.1002/lt.24845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Impeccable management of immunosuppression is required to ensure the best longterm outcomes for liver transplant recipients. This is particularly challenging for children who arguably need 8 decades of graft and patient survival. Too little risks chronic, often subclinical allo-immune injury while too much risks insidious and cumulative toxicities. Historically, immunosuppression minimization or withdrawal has been a strategy to optimize the longevity of liver transplant recipients. The literature is sprinkled with single-center reports of operationally tolerant patients - those with apparently normal liver function and liver tests. However, without biopsy evidence of immunological quiescence, confidence in the phenotypic assignment of tolerance is shaky. More recently, multicenter trials of immunosuppression withdrawal for highly selected, stable, longterm adult and pediatric liver recipients have shown tolerance rates, based on both biochemical and histological assessment, of 40% and 60%, respectively. Extended biochemical and histologic follow-up of children over 8 years, equivalent to 7+ years off of drug, suggests that operational tolerance is robust. Therefore, clearly, immunosuppression can be completely and safety withdrawn from highly-selected subsets of adults and children. However, these trials have also confirmed that clinically ideal recipients - those eligible for immunosuppression withdrawal trial - can harbor significant and worrisome inflammation and/or fibrosis. Although the etiology and prognosis of these findings remain unknown, it is reasonable to surmise that they may reflect an anti-donor immune response that is insufficiently controlled. To achieve the outcomes that we are seeking and that our patients are demanding, we desperately need noninvasive but accurate biomarkers that identify whether immunosuppression is neither too much nor too little but "just right." Until these are available, liver histology remains the gold standard to assess allograft health and guide immunosuppression management. Liver Transplantation 23 1601-1614 2017 AASLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandy Feng
- Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - John Bucuvalas
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Transformative medical and surgical advances have remarkably improved short-term survival after liver transplantation. There is, however, pervasive concern that the cumulative toxicities of modern immunosuppression regimens severely compromise both quality and quantity of life for liver transplant recipients. The inherently tolerogenic nature of the liver offers the tantalizing opportunity to change the current paradigm of nonspecific and lifelong immunosuppression. Safe minimization or discontinuation of immunosuppression without damage to the liver allograft is an attractive strategy to improve long-term survival after liver transplantation. RECENT FINDINGS Recent prospective, multicenter clinical trials have demonstrated that immunosuppression can be safely withdrawn from selected liver transplant recipients with preservation of allograft histology. These successes have spurred multiple avenues of investigation to identify peripheral blood and/or tissue biomarkers and delineate mechanisms of tolerance. Concomitant advances in the ability to expand regulatory T cells in the laboratory have spawned clinical trials to facilitate immunosuppression minimization and/or discontinuation. SUMMARY This review will delineate the unique liver immunobiology that has driven the recent clinical trials to unmask spontaneous tolerance or induce tolerance for liver transplant recipients. The emerging results of these trials over the next 5 years hold promise to reduce the burden of lifelong immunosuppression and thereby optimize the long-term health of liver transplant recipients.
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Pan H, Gazarian A, Dubernard JM, Belot A, Michallet MC, Michallet M. Transplant Tolerance Induction in Newborn Infants: Mechanisms, Advantages, and Potential Strategies. Front Immunol 2016; 7:116. [PMID: 27092138 PMCID: PMC4823304 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although several tolerance induction protocols have been successfully implemented in adult renal transplantation, no tolerance induction approach has, as yet, been defined for solid organ transplantations in young infants. Pediatric transplant recipients have a pressing demand for the elaboration of tolerance induction regimens. Indeed, since they display a longer survival time, they are exposed to a higher level of risks linked to long-term immunosuppression (IS) and to chronic rejection. Interestingly, central tolerance induction may be of great interest in newborns, because of their immunological immaturity and the important role of the thymus at this early stage in life. The present review aims to clarify mechanisms and strategies of tolerance induction in these immunologically premature recipients. We first introduce the discovery and mechanisms of neonatal tolerance in murine experimental models and subsequently analyze tolerance induction in human newborn infants. Hematopoietic mixed chimerism in neonates is also discussed based on in utero hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplant studies. Then, we review the recent advances in tolerance induction approaches in adults, including the infusion of HSCs associated with less toxic conditioning regimens, regulatory T cells/facilitating cells/mesenchymal stem cells transplantation, costimulatory blockade, and thymus manipulation. Finally, IS withdrawal in pediatric solid organ transplant is discussed. In conclusion, the establishment of transplant tolerance induction in infants is promising and deserves further investigations. Future studies could focus on the selection of patients, on less toxic conditioning regimens, and on biomarkers for IS minimization or withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Pan
- Chair of Transplantation, VetAgro Sup-Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, Marcy l'Etoile, France; Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Aram Gazarian
- Chair of Transplantation, VetAgro Sup-Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, Marcy l'Etoile, France; Department of Hand Surgery, Clinique du Parc, Lyon, France
| | - Jean-Michel Dubernard
- Chair of Transplantation, VetAgro Sup-Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, Marcy l'Etoile, France; Department of Transplantation, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Lyon, France
| | - Alexandre Belot
- International Center for Infectiology Research (CIRI), Université de Lyon , Lyon , France
| | - Marie-Cécile Michallet
- Chair of Transplantation, VetAgro Sup-Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, Marcy l'Etoile, France; Cancer Research Center Lyon (CRCL), UMR INSERM 1052 CNRS 5286, Centre Leon Berard, Lyon, France
| | - Mauricette Michallet
- Chair of Transplantation, VetAgro Sup-Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, Marcy l'Etoile, France; Department of Hematology, Centre Hospitalier Lyon-Sud, Pierre Benite, France
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The field of vascularized composite allograft (VCA) to achieve its full potential will require induction of tolerance. This review will introduce a new method of potential inducing tolerance in hand transplantation. RECENT FINDINGS Hand transplantation is never a life-extending transplant. This fact resulted in considerable debate both for and against the use of immunosuppression for nonlife-extending transplants. There is considerable debate about the ethics of hand transplantation. There is now consensus that nonlife-extending transplants are acceptable in properly selected patients. However, ideally, hand transplants should not receive life-long immunosuppression. Therefore, attempts to achieve drug-free tolerance through nonlife-endangering therapies are warranted. To this end, we propose implementation of tolerizing therapy long after periinflammation has subsided and drug minimization has proven successful. Evidence that short-term treatment with low doses of IL-2 or a long-lived IL-2 immunoglobulin (Ig) can tilt the balance of immunity from tissue destructive to tolerance come from preclinical demonstrations in mouse and nonhuman primate models of autoimmunity and/or transplantation and even more recent clinical trials. SUMMARY We believe that with the proper use of low-dose IL-2 given at an opportune time in the inflammatory process of transplant that reduce immunosuppression and even tolerance can be induced in hand transplantation. We propose that tolerance can be inducted after a long period of conventional treatment to avoid 'tolerance-hindering' adverse inflammation that occurs in the posttransplant period. With abatement of posttransplant inflammation and with time, we will institute low-dose IL-2-based therapy to support the proliferation, viability and functional phenotype of regulatory T cells.
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Kamran Hejazi Kenari S, Mirzakhani H, Saidi RF. Pediatric transplantation and tolerance: past, present, and future. Pediatr Transplant 2014; 18:435-45. [PMID: 24931282 DOI: 10.1111/petr.12301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Solid organ transplantation is the treatment of choice in children with end-stage organ failure. With improving methods of transplant surgery and post-transplant care, transplantation is more frequently performed worldwide. However, lifelong and non-specific suppression of the recipient's immune system is a cause of significant morbidity in children, including infection, diabetes, and cancer. There is a great need to develop IS minimization/withdrawal and tolerance induction approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Kamran Hejazi Kenari
- Division of Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Kelly DA, Bucuvalas JC, Alonso EM, Karpen SJ, Allen U, Green M, Farmer D, Shemesh E, McDonald RA. Long-term medical management of the pediatric patient after liver transplantation: 2013 practice guideline by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the American Society of Transplantation. Liver Transpl 2013; 19:798-825. [PMID: 23836431 DOI: 10.1002/lt.23697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Accepted: 06/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Deirdre A Kelly
- Liver Unit, Birmingham Children's Hospital, National Health Service Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
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Alex Bishop G, Bertolino PD, Bowen DG, McCaughan GW. Tolerance in liver transplantation. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 2012; 26:73-84. [PMID: 22482527 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpg.2012.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2011] [Revised: 12/15/2011] [Accepted: 01/13/2012] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Operational tolerance (OT) in liver transplant patients occurs much more frequently than OT of other transplanted organs; however the rate of OT varies considerably with the centre and patient population. Rates of OT range from 15% of the total liver transplant (LTX) patient population down to less than 5%. This review examines the reports of liver OT and compares the factors that could contribute to this variation. Multiple factors were examined, including the time from transplantation when weaning of immunosuppression (IS) was commenced, the rapidity of weaning, the contribution of maintenance and induction IS and the patient population transplanted. The approaches that might be used to increase the likelihood of OT are discussed and the approaches to monitoring OT in LTX patients are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Alex Bishop
- Collaborative Transplantation Laboratory, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the University of Sydney, Australia.
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Abstract
Liver transplantation is the standard of care for children with life-threatening liver disease. Survival rates posttransplantation are rising with current 1-year and 5-year rates being greater than 90% and 85%, respectively. Numerous factors contribute to posttransplant outcomes of graft and patient survival, including improved surgical techniques, immunosuppressive regimens, and posttransplant management. The present review aims to discuss predictors of long-term outcomes of pediatric transplant recipients and identify potential risk factors.
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Translational Lessons from a Case of Combined Heart and Liver Transplantation for Familial Hypercholesterolemia 20 Years Post-operatively. J Cardiovasc Transl Res 2011; 5:351-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s12265-011-9311-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2011] [Accepted: 07/12/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Orlando G. Finding the right time for weaning off immunosuppression in solid organ transplant recipients. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2011; 6:879-92. [PMID: 20979553 DOI: 10.1586/eci.10.71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Solid organ transplantation (SOT) requires lifelong immunosuppression (IS) to prevent rejection and graft loss. The currently adopted immunosuppressive protocols are numerous and are based on the administration of at least two molecules with diverse mechanisms of action. Owing to the fact that the majority of immunosuppressants act non-selectively, the immune system is normally oversuppressed, and as a result is less able to both defend the host against infection and to control the spread of malignant cells. Consequently, long-term IS is burdened by chronic toxicity, which may be highly invalidating and may significantly influence patient's quality of life, compliance to treatment, overall success rate, and patient and graft survival. In an ideal scenario, SOT recipients should initially receive just enough IS to favor the onset of clinical operational tolerance (COT), a condition where the immune system of the host does not attack the graft in the absence of any immunosuppressant. COT has been documented after liver transplantation (LT) and renal transplantation (RT). First, COT was accidentally detected in patients who were nonadherent to treatment and who spontaneously decided to stop all IS without any medical guidance or surveillance. Later, it was described in recipients who required IS withdrawal following the occurrence of malignant diseases. Based on strikingly convincing experimental data, several tolerogenic protocols have recently been applied in patients but overall the results have been disappointing. The current literature demonstrates that COT can be safely achieved in stable LT recipients, with completely different strategies. Importantly, the onset of an episode of acute rejection during the attempt of IS withdrawal would not worsen the clinical outcome. On the contrary, COT remains a major challenge after RT because the onset of acute rejection will substantiate in graft loss. Currently, a major field of investigation aims to define markers of COT, which will allow the selection of individuals who are more prone to develop COT. Preliminary results in both RT and LT have just been announced; however, these markers will require validation in prospective studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Orlando
- Nuffield Department of Surgery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Advances in surgical techniques and combinations of conventional immunosuppressants have made paediatric liver transplantation the success story it is today. However, the increasing numbers of survivors reaching adulthood highlight important issues of long-term quality of life and drug induced complications. The aim of this review is to describe the trends and advances in immunosuppression for paediatric liver transplantation over the last 12 months. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS As our knowledge of the immune cell populations and intracellular mechanisms involved in alloreactivity improves, induction immunosuppression has emerged as a powerful therapeutic manoeuvre to counter the initial alloimmune response. Many centres have adopted a more focused use of biological agents at induction to improve immunosuppression in the critical peritransplant period and to reduce the level of subsequent maintenance requirements. Corticosteroid avoidance and calcineurin inhibitors minimization trials have obtained encouraging results. New immunosuppressive strategies have evolved towards the goal of inducing operational tolerance, and paediatric liver transplant recipients seem to be a particularly promising target. New strategies are being developed also to improve quality of life and reduce nonadherence in adolescents and young adults who underwent liver transplantation. New drugs target B-cell and complement driven rejection and new monoclonal antibodies and small molecules are under trial to inhibit specific signals in the immune response. SUMMARY We review current trends of immunosuppressive protocols in paediatric liver transplantation, focusing on induction agents, corticosteroid avoidance and calcineurin inhibitor sparing protocols, protocols for adult transition and new drugs currently under development.
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Early Steroid-Free Immunosuppression With FK506 After Liver Transplantation: Long-Term Results of a Prospectively Randomized Double-Blinded Trial. Transplantation 2010; 90:1562-6. [DOI: 10.1097/tp.0b013e3181ff8794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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