Allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cell therapy in kidney transplantation: should repeated human leukocyte antigen mismatches be avoided?

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have immunomodulatory properties and are therefore considered promising tools in kidney transplantation. Although most studies have been conducted with autologous MSCs, using allogeneic MSCs as an off-the-shelf product is more feasible in clinical settings. However, allogeneic MSCs could potentially induce an immune response, which might eventually be directed towards the kidney allograft because of shared human leukocyte antigen (HLA) epitope mismatches between the kidney and MSC donor.

Attenuation of Torque teno viral load over time in kidney transplantation recipients treated with calcineurin inhibitors is mitigated after conversion to belatacept.

Torque Teno Virus (TTV) is a non-pathogenic anellovirus, highly prevalent in healthy populations. Variations in its viral load have been associated with states of diminished immunity, as occurs after organ transplantation. It is hypothesized that TTV-load might be used as a diagnostic tool to guide prescription and dosing of immunosuppressive drugs.

Urinary beta-2 microglobulin increases whereas TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 decline after unilateral nephrectomy in healthy kidney donors.

Early kidney injury may be detected by urinary markers, such as beta-2 microglobulin (B2M), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) and/or neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). Of these biomarkers information on pathophysiology and reference ranges in both healthy and diseased populations are scarce. Differences in urinary levels of B2M, TIMP-2, IGFBP7, KIM-1 and NGAL were compared 24 h before and after nephrectomy in 38 living kidney donors from the REnal Protection Against Ischaemia-Reperfusion in transplantation study.

Hypertension and diabetes, but not leptin and adiponectin, mediate the relationship between body fat and chronic kidney disease.

Purpose: Obesity may promote kidney damage through hemodynamic and hormonal effects. We investigated the association between body mass index (BMI), total body fat (TBF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) and whether hypertension, diabetes, leptin and adiponectin mediated these associations.

Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis of the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study, 6671 participants (45-65 y) were included.

The effect of genetic variants in the transcription factor TSPYL family on the CYP3A4 mediated cyclosporine metabolism in kidney transplant patients.

CYP3A4 activity shows considerable interindividual variability. Although studies indicate 60%-80% is heritable, common single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in CYP3A4 together only explain ~10%. Transcriptional factors, such as the testis-specific Y-encoded-like proteins (TSPYLs) family, have been reported to regulate the expression of CYP enzymes including CYP3A4 in vitro.