부산대학교 도서관

We assessed cell subsets and expression of a set of genes related to the T-cell populations in peripheral blood mononuclear cells to elucidate whether immune status of stable hand transplant recipients ( HTx) differs from stable kidney transplant recipients ( KTx). The study was conducted on five HTx 4.8 ± 1.7 years after transplantation and 30 stable KTx 7.9 ± 2.4 years after transplantation as well as 18 healthy volunteers. The research involved PBMC gene expression analysis of CD4, CD8, CTLA4, GZMB, FOXP3, IL10, IL4, ILR2A, NOTCH, PDCD1, PRF1, TGF-B, and TNF-A genes on a custom-designed low-density array (TaqMan) as well as flow cytometry assessment of lymphocyte subpopulations. HTx presented significantly increased expression of immunomodulatory genes ( TNF, IL10, GITR, and PDCD1) compared to KTx and controls. HTx revealed a proinflammatory molecular pattern with higher expression of NOTCH and CD8 compared to KTx and controls. KTx showed a reduced level of regulatory T cells compared to controls and HTx. Both HTx and KTx presented an increased number of CD8+ and CD8+ CD28− T cells compared to controls. Stable hand transplant recipients exhibit persistent immune activation with rejection-related gene expression pattern counterbalanced by secondary induction of regulatory mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]