Preceding T-Cell-Mediated Rejection Is Associated with the Development of Chronic Active Antibody-Mediated Rejection by de Novo Donor-Specific Antibody.

Aim: Chronic active antibody-mediated rejection (CAABMR) is an important cause of late-stage renal allograft loss. Early inflammatory events such as acute rejection and infection after transplantation are considered to be the risk factors of de novo donor-specific antibody (dnDSA) production. In this study, we investigated the relationship between pre-disposing T-cell-mediated rejection and dnDSA-positive CAABMR.

Methods: We recruited 365 patients who underwent ABO-compatible renal transplantation at our hospital. Among them, 16 patients diagnosed as having dnDSA-positive CAABMR were designated as a CAABMR group, and 38 randomly selected patients were designated as a control group. All biopsies from 1 month after transplantation were included in the study. The presence or absence of borderline changes (BLCs), acute T-cell-mediated rejection (ATMR), microvascular inflammation (MVI), and C4d positive on peritubular capillaries (C4d-P) was examined.

Results: In the CAABMR group, BLC/ATMR was found in 12 cases (75%), and the mean duration until appearance of BLC/ATMR was 282.7 ± 328.7 days. C4d-P was found in 11 cases (68.8%), and the mean duration until its appearance was 1,432 ± 1,307 days. MVI was found in all cases, and the mean duration until its appearance was 1,333 ± 1,126 days. The mean duration until diagnosis of CAABMR was 2,268 ± 1,191 days. In the control group, BLC/ATMR was found in 13 cases (34.2%), and the mean duration until the appearance of BLC/ATMR was 173.1 ± 170.4 days. C4d-P was found in 2 cases (5.3%), and the durations until its appearance were 748 and 1,881 days. No cases of MVI were found in the control group. The frequency of BLC/ATMR was significantly higher in the CAABMR group (p < 0.01).

Conclusion: Preceding BLC/ATMR is associated with the development of CAABMR with dnDSA.