Investigating the relationship between class I HLA-specific immunoglobulin-G subclasses, Pan-IgG single antigen bead assays and complement mediated interference in sera from renal transplant recipients.

Introduction: Antibody mediated rejection is the leading cause of kidney transplant failure. Not all antibodies are harmful and some may be protective. Immunoglulin Gs, of which there are four subtypes, are detected by single antigen bead testing.

Investigating complement mediated interference in class I HLA-specific antibodies following renal transplantation.

Introduction: Single antigen bead testing (SAB) for HLA-specific antibody enables efficient organ allocation and aids in the diagnosis of antibody mediated rejection. In this retrospective cohort study, a population of kidney transplant recipients possessing HLA Class I antibodies was used to evaluate the best method for resolving complement interference, the so called "prozone" effect. The aim was to compare the use of EDTA versus a Biotin-Streptavidin Complex as methodological approaches for abating the prozone effect using a fixed 1 in 10 dilution as validation.

Long- and short-term outcomes in renal allografts with deceased donors: A large recipient and donor genome-wide association study.

Improvements in immunosuppression have modified short-term survival of deceased-donor allografts, but not their rate of long-term failure. Mismatches between donor and recipient HLA play an important role in the acute and chronic allogeneic immune response against the graft. Perfect matching at clinically relevant HLA loci does not obviate the need for immunosuppression, suggesting that additional genetic variation plays a critical role in both short- and long-term graft outcomes.

Induction of IL-8(CXCL8) and MCP-1(CCL2) with oxidative stress and its inhibition with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) in cell culture model using HK-2 cell.

Renal transplantation can often be complicated due to delayed graft function, which is a direct sequel of ischaemia reperfusion injury. The adverse outcome of delayed graft function is not only short term but the long-term function of the graft is also affected. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms of ischaemia reperfusion injury.

Oxidative stress in kidney transplant biopsies.

Objectives: Kidney allograft biopsies are performed after kidney transplant to determine graft dysfunction. We aimed to define and measure the oxidative stress occurring in these biopsies and compared these biopsies with donor pretransplant biopsies.

Materials And Methods: The biopsy procedure was done according to the unit protocol.

Forgotten ureteric stents in renal transplant recipients: three case reports.

Ureteric stents are widely used in renal transplantation to minimize the early urological complications. Ureteric stents are removed between two and 12 weeks following trans-plantation, once the vesico-ureteric anastomosis is healed. Ureteric stents are associated with considerable morbidity due to complications such as infection, hematuria, encrustations and migration.

Impact of sensitivity of human leucocyte antigen antibody detection by Luminex technology on graft loss at 1 year.

Background: The clinical relevance of the detection of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies in sera of renal transplant recipients by highly sensitive methods such as Luminex alone is uncertain and a matter of debate. The choice of output thresholds affects antibody detection and thus organ allocation, yet there are no internationally agreed threshold levels. This study aims at evaluating our current practice of using an MFI threshold of 1000 in antibody detection.

Campath, calcineurin inhibitor reduction and chronic allograft nephropathy (3C) study: background, rationale, and study protocol.

Background: Kidney transplantation is the best treatment for patients with end-stage renal failure, but uncertainty remains about the best immunosuppression strategy. Long-term graft survival has not improved substantially, and one possible explanation is calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) nephrotoxicity. CNI exposure could be minimized by using more potent induction therapy or alternative maintenance therapy to remove CNIs completely.

Cytomegalovirus-specific CD8+ T cells do not develop in all renal transplant patients at risk of virus infection.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important pathogen in immunosuppressed renal transplant patients. At greatest risk are CMV IgG seronegative recipients (R-) of kidneys from CMV IgG seropositive donors (D+), although not all develop CMV disease. The aims of the study were to determine whether D+/R- patients who do or do not go on to develop CMV disease differ in their CD8+ T cell responses to CMV.

CMV mismatch does not affect patient and graft survival in UK renal transplant recipients.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the major infections encountered posttransplantation. UK Guidelines (2003) recommend CMV prophylaxis or screening with preemptive treatment for all high risk recipients. Studies predating the widespread use of CMV prophylaxis have shown that CMV seronegative recipients (R-) receiving a renal allograft from a CMV seropositive donor (D+) have worse outcomes than those avoiding primary CMV infection.

Mixed lymphocyte cultures can predict TCR Vbeta repertoires of T cells infiltrating kidney transplants during acute rejection episodes.

Alloreactive T cell populations can show skewing of T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) Vbeta gene usage. The aims of the experiments were to compare in vivo and in vitro T cell alloresponses against donor alloantigens for TCR Vbeta gene usage. T-cell cultures from renal biopsies taken during acute rejection and pretransplant mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC) were established from five renal transplant patients.

Calcineurin inhibitors and proximal renal tubular injury in renal transplant patients with proteinuria and chronic allograft nephropathy.

Background: Chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) is commonly associated with proteinuria. In native nephropathies, proteinuria is linked with proximal renal tubular damage. This study uses regression analysis to link proteinuria with urinary N-acetyl-beta-d-glucosaminidase (NAG) as a marker of tubular injury or hyperfunction in renal transplant patients.

A randomized controlled trial of immunosuppression conversion for the treatment of chronic allograft nephropathy.

Background: This study was conducted to assess the effect of immunosuppression conversion on progression of chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN).

Methods: Forty-two cyclosporin-treated renal transplant recipients were studied. Patients were included if they had a negatively sloping reciprocal of creatinine vs time (ROCT) plot for >6 months and biopsy-proven CAN.