Expanding the criteria of renal kidneys for transplantation: use of donors with acute renal failure.

Background: Increased numbers of patients waiting for renal transplantation have led to widening selection criteria for grafts. Thus, we have evaluated the outcome of transplanted kidneys procured in the presence of acute renal failure (ARF).

Methods: Transplant patients (n = 52) with a kidney procured with ARF were studied.

Renal lesions associated with IgM-secreting monoclonal proliferations: revisiting the disease spectrum.

Background And Objectives: Since the first description of pathology of the kidney in Waldenström disease in 1970, there have been few reports on kidney complications of IgM-secreting monoclonal proliferations. Here, we aimed to revisit the spectrum of renal lesions occurring in patients with a serum monoclonal IgM.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: Fourteen patients with a circulating monoclonal IgM and a kidney disease related to B cell proliferation were identified retrospectively.

The blockade of T-cell co-stimulation as a therapeutic stratagem for immunosuppression: Focus on belatacept.

The development of immunosuppressive drugs has in recent years been focused on prevention of acute rejection. This has led to an increase in one-year allograft survival. However, these drugs have non-immune effects which contribute to the high incidence of late graft loss, as a consequence of chronic allograft nephropathy, and the death of patients.

Long-term effects of calcineurin inhibitor conversion to mycophenolate mofetil on renal function after liver transplantation.

Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) are the cornerstone of immunosuppression after liver transplantation. However, CNI treatment is frequently associated with chronic renal failure (CRF). The reduction or interruption of CNI may reduce renal failure.

New therapeutic targets for antibodies and recombinant proteins in organ transplantation.

The development of immunosuppressive drugs for tolerance induction or maintenance of an allograft is the key to successful organ transplantation. Humanized mAbs are promising biological agents because of their reduced immunogenicity and favorable bioactivity. Although their clinical application has so far been limited to the anti-CD3 and anti-recombinant IL-2 mAbs, new antibodies have been developed against several targets, including cell-surface molecules involved in T-cell activation, proliferation and trafficking.

Costimulation blockade and its possible future use in clinical transplantation.

The nonimmune effects of currently used immunosuppressive drugs result in a high incidence of late graft loss due to nephrotoxicity and death of patients. As an immune-specific alternative to conventional immunosuppressants, new biotechnology tools can be used to block the costimulation signals of T-cell activation. Many experimental studies--particularly preclinical studies in nonhuman primates--have focused on blocking the 'classical' B7/CD28 and CD40/CD40L pathways, which are critical in primary T-cell activation.

Efficiency of curative and prophylactic treatment with rituximab in ADAMTS13-deficient thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: a study of 11 cases.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a life-threatening disease that occurs mainly in young adults. Acquired cases are usually a result of antibodies directed against ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin-like and metalloprotease [reprolysin type] with thrombospondin type 1 motif 13), a protease that cleaves the von Willebrand factor multimers. Prognosis has been improved by plasma therapy, but some acute severe forms are refractory to this treatment and achieving a sustained remission is still a challenge in chronic relapsing forms.