Detection of Salivary Tryptase Levels in Children following Oral Food Challenges.

Background: Oral food challenge (OFC) is commonly used to diagnose food allergy. This test is time and resource intensive, and conclusions are not always unequivocal as this relies on the interpretation of symptoms. Therefore, an objective marker would improve the accuracy of the diagnostic workup of food allergy.

Polymorphic mononuclear neutrophils CD64 index for diagnosis of sepsis in postoperative surgical patients and critically ill patients.

Background: Surface neutrophil CD64 expression is upregulated in patients with bacterial infection. As it was suggested that the CD64 index could be used to detect sepsis in hospitalized patients, we questioned whether the CD64 index could discriminate between septic patients and postoperative surgical patients, defined as systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), both admitted at the intensive care unit (ICU). Furthermore, we wondered whether the CD64 index was an improved diagnostic compared to standard assays used at the laboratory.

Migration of allosensitizing donor myeloid dendritic cells into recipients after liver transplantation.

It is thought, but there is no evidence, that myeloid dendritic cells (MDCs) of donor origin migrate into the recipient after clinical organ transplantation and sensitize the recipient's immune system by the direct presentation of donor allo-antigens. Here we show prominent MDC chimerism in the recipient's circulation early after clinical liver transplantation (LTx) but not after renal transplantation (RTx). MDCs that detach from human liver grafts produce large amounts of pro-inflammatory [tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 (IL-6)] and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines upon activation with various stimuli, express higher levels of toll-like receptor 4 than blood or splenic MDCs, and are sensitive to stimulation with a physiological concentration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Non-HLA T-cell reactivity during the first year after HLA-identical living-related kidney transplantation.

Background: It has been reported that donor-reactive T-cell responses may decrease during the first year after HLA-mismatched organ transplantation. We wondered whether donor-reactive T-cell responses directed to minor histocompatibility antigens (mHAgs) or other non-HLA antigens also decrease after HLA-identical living-related (LR) kidney transplantation.

Methods: We studied donor-reactive T-cell responses by IFN-gamma and granzyme B (GrB) Elispot assays in 15 HLA-identical LR kidney transplant recipients before, six months and one yr after transplantation.

T-cell reactivity during tapering of immunosuppression to low-dose monotherapy prednisolone in HLA-identical living-related renal transplant recipients.

Background: In many transplant centers, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical living-related (LR) renal transplant recipients receive standard maintenance immunosuppression from 1 year after transplantation. We questioned whether discontinuation of azathioprine (AZA) or mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) influenced T-cell reactivity, circulating dendritic cell (DC) subsets numbers and their maturation status.

Methods: Twenty-nine HLA-identical LR renal transplant recipients were withdrawn from AZA or MMF.

Successful tapering of immunosuppression to low-dose monotherapy steroids after living-related human leukocyte antigen-identical renal transplantation.

Background: Living-related (LR) human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical renal transplant (RTx) recipients often receive standard immunosuppression, despite the absence of mismatched major HLA-antigens and the known complications of long-term use of immunosuppression. No data are available on the need for immunosuppression for these specific patients. We wondered whether their immunosuppressive load could be radically reduced.

Donor-reactive cytokine profiles after HLA-identical living-related kidney transplantation.

Background: After HLA-identical living-related (LR) kidney transplantation, only non-HLA antigen mismatches between donor and recipient may exist. We questioned whether donor-reactive responses against non-HLA antigens could be found after HLA-identical LR kidney transplantation, and wondered whether donor reactivity in the HLA-identical setting was different from the HLA-mismatched setting during immunological quiescence. Healthy individuals served as controls.

Peripheral blood manipulation significantly affects the result of dendritic cell monitoring.

It has been postulated that the plasmacytoid/myeloid dendritic cell ratio (pDC/mDC) reflects immune reactivity, and can therefore be used to monitor transplant recipients. We investigated the influence of Ficoll-Paque separation and PBMC cryopreservation on the pDC/mDC ratio and the expression of maturation markers, e.g.

Stable T-cell reactivity after successful tapering of azathioprine in HLA-identical living-related kidney transplant recipients despite minor histocompatibility antigen mismatches.

Background: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical living-related (LR) kidney transplant recipients often receive the standard regimen of immunosuppression. We wondered whether these patients should be exposed to the side effects of these drugs any longer. Safe tapering of immunosuppression should not result in rejection and high donor-directed T-cell responses.