High levels of CMV-IE-1-specific memory T cells are associated with less alloimmunity and improved renal allograft function.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has been associated with allograft rejection in solid organ transplantation. However, the immunologic mechanisms behind this observation have not been elucidated. One proposed mechanism is direct cross-reactivity of antiviral T-cells with allogeneic MHC/peptide complexes, a process termed heterologous immunity.

Modified ELISPOT technique--highly significant inverse correlation of post-Tx donor-reactive IFNgamma-producing cell frequencies with 6 and 12 months graft function in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Upcoming trials for immunosuppression minimization and tolerance induction require the development of reliable in vitro assays for monitoring cellular alloimmunity in transplant patients. The IFN-gamma ELISPOT assay represents a promising tool for monitoring alloreactive memory/effector T cells. As T lymphopenia is a common finding during the early post-transplant (post-Tx) period, the IFN-gamma ELISPOT technique was here modified by using ELISPOT responder cells with enhanced percentage and standardized number of 200,000 T cells per well.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay for donor-reactive interferon-gamma-producing cells identifies T-cell presensitization and correlates with graft function at 6 and 12 months in renal-transplant recipients.

Background: A major goal in clinical transplantation is the individualization of immunosuppression. This requires a definition of markers that identify patients at heightened risk of acute rejection and immune-mediated chronic allograft nephropathy.

Methods: Frequencies of interferon-gamma-producing donor-reactive cells were serially determined in unselected renal-transplant patients in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay (ELISPOT) before transplantation (n = 42) and up to 10 (mean 5.