Expression of VE-Cadherin in Peritubular Endothelial Cells during Acute Rejection after Human Renal Transplantation.

Genes involved in acute rejection (AR) after organ transplantation remain to be further elucidated. In a previous work we have demonstrated the under-expression of VE-Cadherin by endothelial cells (EC) in AR following murine and human heart transplantation. Serial sections from 15 human kidney Banff-graded transplant biopsies were examined for the presence of VE-Cadherin and CD34 staining by immunohistochemistry (no AR (n = 5), AR grade IA (n = 5), or AR grade IIA (n = 5)).

Association of human leukocyte antigen haplotypes with posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease after solid organ transplantation.

Background: Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) after solid organ transplantation (SOT) is commonly characterized by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-driven proliferation of recipient B cells due to impaired immune surveillance in the context of immunosuppression. Because EBV-specific T-cell responses are focused on the level of EBV antigen and epitope choice depending on the individual human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles, we hypothesized that certain HLA alleles or a distinct HLA haplotype may influence the risk of development of PTLD after SOT.

Methods: A multicenter case-control study was performed comparing a group of 155 recipients after SOT with development of PTLD with a group of 1996 recipients after SOT without development of PTLD.

Subsequent skin cancers in kidney and heart transplant recipients after the first squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: The increased incidence of skin cancers in transplant patients is well documented; however, few data exist on the risk of subsequent skin tumors in a given patient after the first skin cancer. The aim of this study was to compare the individual rate of subsequent skin cancers in kidney (KTR) and heart transplant recipients (HTR) after the first squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and to assess risk factors for tumor multiplicity.

Methods: In all, 188 patients (121 KTR/67 HTR) were studied for up to 5 years.

Efficacy and safety of rituximab in B-cell post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders: results of a prospective multicenter phase 2 study.

B-cell posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (B-PTLD) is a rare but severe complication of transplantation, with no consensus on best treatment practice. This prospective trial, the first to test a treatment for PTLD, was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab in patients with B-PTLD after solid organ transplantation (SOT). Forty-six patients were included and 43 patients were analyzed.

No recurrence of posttransplantation Kaposi's sarcoma three years after renal retransplantation.

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) develops in 0.5-5% of organ transplant patients; it usually regresses upon treatment reduction, but this may result in graft loss necessitating return to dialysis and/or retransplantation. Until now posttransplantation KS is considered to recur upon reintroduction of immunosuppressive treatment, a fact that has limited retransplantation of patients with previous KS.