Cytokine gene polymorphisms in heart transplantation: association of low IL-10 production genotype with Quilty effect.

Background: Cytokines are important modulators of post-transplant, allogeneic immune responses. In heart transplantation, endomyocardial biopsies allow monitoring of histologic and immunologic events that occur inside the graft; their correlation with risk factors condition graft outcome. Recent reports indicate that various cytokine gene allelic polymorphisms control the number of cytokines produced and may be associated with graft outcome.

Intragraft cytokine expression in heart transplants with mild or no histological rejection.

Unlabelled: The study of pro-inflammatory cytokines produced in situ in heart allografts may help to understand the mechanisms of rejection and open new possibilities to control graft rejection.

Methods: A total of 23 endomyocardial biopsies obtained from 16 transplanted patients treated with triple-drug therapy (azathioprine, prednisone, and cyclosporine) were studied. mRNA expression for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-15, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, and beta-actin was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blotting.

Transmission of toxoplasmosis by renal transplant.

Two renal allograft recipients who had received their organs from the same cadaver donor developed acute toxoplasmosis shortly after transplantation. Neither of the recipients had serologic evidence of previous exposure to Toxoplasma gondii at the time of surgery, but the donor had a positive indirect fluorescent antibody test. One of the recipients died during the fourth week, and multiorgan involvement with toxoplasmosis was demonstrated at autopsy.

[Acute glomerulonephritis in children: long-term prognosis].

Sixty-five children were studied for over five years following an acute glomerulonephritis episode. Proteinuria was detected in 15 but in one, it was massive proteinuria with edema and low renal function. The other 14 children were asymptomatic and proteinuria was close to or below 0.

[Familial incidence of post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis].

The investigation on siblings of AGN patients has shown a streptococcus carrier evidence of 45%, while glomerulonephritis incidence was 15%. These data allowed us to classify our population as highly susceptible to bacterial dissemination and to the development of non-suppurative complications. Renal compromise was clinical and histologically classified.