A Comparative Study on the Variation in Seropositivity Rates After 2-Dose COVID-19 Vaccination Before or After Transplant: A Single-Center Analysis.

Objectives: Many researchers have demonstrated that the seropositivity rate after SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus vaccination is lower in patients receiving oral immunosuppressants. In this article, we report on a comparative study on the seropositivity rate after 2 doses of coronavirus vaccine before or after kidney transplant.

Materials And Methods: We studied 111 recipients vaccinated after transplant, 19 patients vaccinated before transplant, and 10 healthy patients.

Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine Among Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Retrospective Cohort Study at a Single Transplant Institute in Japan.

Objectives: Although the effectiveness of vaccines in protecting the host from infection has been proven, few surveys have been conducted on changes in antibody levels after vaccination of kidney transplant recipients in Japan.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed serological responses in kidney transplant recipients after BNT162B2 COVID-19 mRNA vaccine with the use of a reagent capable of simultaneously specifying the antibody response to 5 proteins: a full-spike protein (extracellular domain), 3 individual domains of the spike protein (S1, S2, and receptor-binding domain), and nucleocapsid. The analysis involved 111 patients who had follow-up over 1 month after having received the second of 2 coronavirus vaccines after kidney transplant.

Influence of a low-dose tacrolimus protocol on the appearance of de novo donor-specific antibodies during 7 years of follow-up after renal transplantation.

Background: Tacrolimus (TAC) is a key immunosuppressant drug for kidney transplantation (KTx). However, the optimal serum trough level of TAC for good long-term outcomes remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the maintenance TAC trough level and the appearance of de novo donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies (dnDSAs).

Chronic Active Antibody-Mediated Rejection with Linear IgG Deposition on Glomerular Capillaries in a Kidney Transplant Recipient.

Glomerular IgG deposition is rarely observed in antibody-mediated rejection. Here, we report chronic active antibody-mediated rejection with linear IgG deposition on glomerular capillary walls in a pediatric kidney transplant recipient. A 6-year-old boy with bilateral renal hypoplasia underwent preemptive deceased-donor kidney transplantation.

Predictors of return to work after kidney transplantation: a 12-month cohort of the Japan Academic Consortium of Kidney Transplantation study.

Objectives: To investigate the cumulative return-to-work (RTW) rate and to identify predictors of employment after kidney transplantation (KT).

Design: Retrospective, outpatient-based cohort study.

Setting: This was a single-centre study of the largest Japanese kidney transplant centre.

Association between response to rituximab and antibody-mediated rejection in ABO-incompatible living kidney transplantation.

Objectives: To examine the association of response to rituximab and the incidence of antibody-mediated rejection in preconditioning of rituximab and plasma exchange without post-transplant plasmapheresis in patients undergoing ABO-incompatible living kidney transplantation.

Methods: A total of 115 patients who underwent ABO-incompatible living kidney transplantation at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, were divided into two groups based on the response to rituximab: good response (n = 75) or poor response (n = 40). The rituximab good response and poor response patients were defined as patients whose CD19 cells were non-detected (0%) and detected on the day of transplantation (2-5 days, median 3 days, after rituximab administration), respectively.

Prognostic value of C3d-fixing, preformed donor-specific antibodies in crossmatch-positive living kidney transplantation.

The occurrence of acute antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) is higher in flow cytometric crossmatch (FCXM)-positive patients despite desensitization. Accumulating evidence suggests a correlation between the complement-binding ability of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) and the risk of ABMR. Here, we investigated the correlation between complement C3d-fixing ability of preformed DSA and ABMR risk, the efficacy of a desensitization protocol for patients with C3d-fixing DSA, and the risk of ABMR in 21 DSA- and FCXM-positive patients.

Once-daily vs twice-daily tacrolimus for de novo living kidney transplantation patients including ABO/HLA compatible and incompatible: A randomized trial.

Tacrolimus (TAC) is available as a twice-daily capsule (TAC-BID), once-daily capsule (TAC-QD), and once-daily tablet. Recipients with ABO-incompatible/anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-incompatible transplantation were excluded in previous trials and have thus not been evaluated. We conducted a 5-year trial to determine whether TAC-QD is noninferior to TAC-BID for transplant outcomes.

Long-term survival in Japanese renal transplant recipients with Alport syndrome: a retrospective study.

Background: Patients with Alport syndrome (AS) develop progressive kidney dysfunction due to a hereditary type IV collagen deficiency. Survival of the kidney allograft in patients with AS is reportedly excellent because AS does not recur. However, several studies have implied that the type IV collagen in the GBM originates from podocytes recruited from the recipient's bone marrow-derived cells, suggesting the possibility of AS recurrence.

Uptake and metabolism of mizoribine, an immunosuppressant, in L5178Y-R mouse lymphoma cells in vitro and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of rats and kidney transplant recipients in vivo.

The cellular uptake of mizoribine (MZR), an immunosuppressant, and metabolism of MZR to MZR-5'- monophosphate (MZRP), an active metabolite, were evaluated in L5178Y-R mouse lymphoma cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of rats and kidney transplant recipients (KTRs, n = 22). Real-time PCR analysis revealed the expression of ENT1 and ENT2 mRNAs, but not of CNTs, in L5178Y-R cells and rat's PBMCs. In L5178Y-R cells, the uptake of MZR was suppressed by adenosine, a substrate for ENT1 and ENT2, but not by 5-(4-nitrobenzyl)-6-thioinosine (0.

Analysis of predictive and preventive factors for de novo DSA in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Development of de novo donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (dnDSA) has been associated with poor graft outcome, although the preventive factor for its production is still elusive. We analyzed the incidence of dnDSA within 5 years posttransplant in 562 living-kidney transplant recipients to evaluate predicting and preventive factors for dnDSA development.

Materials And Methods: All patients were considered to be non-HLA sensitized, as determined by the preoperative single-antigen bead assay (SABA), although they included various ABO blood type compatibilities.

Influence of preoperative anti-HLA antibodies on short- and long-term graft survival in recipients with or without rituximab treatment.

We investigated the relationship between preoperative anti-HLA antibodies (donor-specific antibody, DSA) and the graft survival rate in recipients who had or had not received rituximab (Rit) treatment. The subjects were categorized into four groups as follows: DSA+Rit-, n = 39; DSA-Rit-, n = 121; DSA+Rit+, n = 74; and DSA-Rit+, n = 47. We examined the influence of preoperative DSA on the incidence of graft rejection and the survival rate of recipients who had or who had not received rituximab before transplantation.

Late-onset neutropenia (LON) after low-dose rituximab treatment in living related kidney transplantation--single-center study.

We have performed more than 200 ABO-incompatible and HLA-incompatible transplantations, by using low-dose rituximab (Rit) as one of the B cell-depleting strategies. It has been revealed that a significant number of such patients who receive rituximab treatment develop late-onset neutropenia (LON). To obtain insights into the mechanism underlying the development of LON, we evaluated the kinetics of various cytokines involved in B-cell and granulocyte homeostases.

Immunological status in three patients, thirty years after living related renal transplantation: antibody production in long-term survivors.

There have been few studies of the immune status of long-term follow-up patients after living-donor kidney transplantation. We investigated the immune status from the immunologic and pathologic standpoint of three long surviving recipients who had received renal grafts more than 30 years earlier. Anti-HLA antibodies that had not been present before transplantation were detected in one recipient with three HLA mismatches.

Two novel trimeric resveratrol derivatives from Cotylelobium lanceolatum.

Two new resveratrol (= 5-[(E)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethenyl]benzene-1,3-diol) trimers, cotylelophenols A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the stem of Cotylelobium lanceolatum (Dipterocarpaceae), together with ten known resveratrol oligomers (3-12). The structures of the isolates were established on the basis of spectroscopic analyses, including a detailed NMR spectroscopic investigation of 1 under different conditions. Compound 1 is the first resveratrol trimer with a rearranged 4-hydroxyphenyl group.

New resveratrol tetramers from the stem bark of Upuna borneensis.

Five new resveratrol (=5-[(E)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethenyl]benzene-1,3-diol) tetramers, upunaphenols H-J (1-3) and trans-(4) and cis-upunaphenol K (5), were isolated from the stem of Upuna borneensis (Dipterocarpaceae). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D- and 2D-NMR as well as FAB-MS data. Compounds 1-3 bear a rare biphenyl bond in their frameworks.

Differences in humoral immunity between a non-rejection group and a rejection group after ABO-incompatible renal transplantation.

Background: Renal transplantation across the blood barrier is a unique model for investigating the humoral response to different carbohydrate antigens. However, in such a renal transplantation, the characteristics of B cells as well as of the antibodies produced by B cells are less well defined.

Methods: In the present study we investigated B cell subsets (i.

Resveratrol oligomers and their O-glucosides from Cotylelobium lanceolatum.

Three new resveratrol oligomers, cotylelophenol C (1) (resveratrol tetramer) and cotylelosides A (2) and B (3) (O-glucosides of resveratrol trimer), together with four known glucosides of resveratrol oligomers (vaticasides A, B, C, D) and piceid, were isolated from an acetone soluble part of stem of Cotylelobium lanceolatum (Dipterocarpaceae). The structures of new compounds were determined by spectral data analysis. The characteristic properties observed in the NMR spectra of 1 were also discussed.

The mechanism responsible for accommodation after living-related kidney transplantations across the blood barrier.

The mechanism responsible for accommodation in renal transplantations across the blood barrier remains unclear. We recently encountered two patients with accommodated status after living-related kidney transplantations across the blood barrier. Both developed elevations of anti-blood-group antibodies to titers over 128x after transplantation, despite excellent renal function.

Flavonol glycosides in leaves of two Diospyros species.

Fourteen flavonol glycosides including two new compounds were isolated from the leaves of two Diospyros plants (D. cathayensis and D. rhombifolia).

Evaluation of flow cytometric panel reactive antibody in renal transplant recipients - examination of 238 cases of renal transplantation.

In Japan, the complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC-crossmatch) test and the anti-donor antibody flow cytometric assay (FCXM) are used to evaluate presensitization among transplantation candidates. We introduced the flow cytometric panel reactive antibody method (FlowPRA) at our institution, and in this paper, we compared the results of FCXM and FlowPRA. Sera of a total of 238 patients receiving the first graft were analyzed by FlowPRA retrospectively.

Resveratrol derivatives from Upuna borneensis.

Four new resveratrol derivatives, upunaphenols B (1), C (4), D (5) (resveratrol tetramer) and E (6, resveratrol dimer with a C6-C1 unit), together with nine known resveratrol oligomers and resveratrol were isolated from an acetone soluble part of stem of Upuna borneensis (Dipterocarpaceae). The structures of new compounds were determined by spectral analysis including 1D and 2D NMR experiments.

Membrane-rigidifying effects of anti-cancer dietary factors.

Since several anti-cancer drugs interact with cell membrane lipids, the effects of anti-cancer dietary factors on liposomal membranes with different lipid composition were comparatively studied by measuring fluorescence polarization. Fluidity was imparted on both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions of lipid bilayers by decreasing cholesterol and increasing unsaturated phosphatidylcholine in membranes. At 0.