Recent Advancements in the Assessment of Renal Transplant Dysfunction with an Emphasis on Microarray Molecular Diagnostics.

Conventional assessment of renal transplant rejection and injury through use of histology, C4d staining, and HLA antibody testing, has been the standard approach to transplant management. By many measures, these methods of conventional assessment may be considered flawed, particularly with the subjective nature of histologic diagnoses. The Alberta Transplant Applied Genomics Center has developed the Molecular Microscope diagnostic system, which uses microarrays to measure gene expression.

Molecular events in kidney ageing.

Purpose Of Review: Ageing of the kidney is a problem of clinical and basic interest. The problem of renal dysfunction and end-stage renal disease is a major burden on the health system, and old donor age is a major limitation on the use of donor organs and on survival of transplanted kidneys. Moreover, stresses linked to nephropathies, postoperative stress, inflammation and allograft rejection can lead to premature senescence of renal cells thus accelerating organ atrophy.

A prospective 3-yr evaluation of tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive therapy in immunological high risk renal allograft recipients.

Background: There have been no published data on use of the the newer immunosuppressants tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in high immunological risk renal transplantation. We therefore undertook a prospective study to systematically assess outcomes using these agents as part of an aggressive immunosuppressive regimen.

Methods: Fifty-nine high-risk renal allograft recipients were enrolled at 10 Canadian sites and given a regimen of: a biological induction agent, tacrolimus, MMF, and corticosteroids.