Changes in T Cells After ABO-Incompatible Liver Transplantation

ABSTRACT

Purpose: T lymphocytes are an essential component of allograft rejection and tolerance. The aims of the present study are to analyze the characteristics of T-cell subsets between ABO-incompatible living donor liver transplantation (ABO-I LDLT) and ABO-compatible LDLT (ABO-C LDLT). Materials and Methods: Between April 2013 and June 2014, 61 patients underwent adult LDLT. ABO-I LDLT patients received rituximab and all patients received basiliximab as induction therapy and tacrolimus as maintenance therapy. The distribution of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets pretransplant and 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks post-transplant were serially monitored. Results: Eight patients underwent ABO-I LDLT. Patient characteristics did not vary between the ABO-I and ABO-C groups. Absolute lymphocyte counts and CD4+ T cells in the ABO-I group were lower than those in ABO-C group after LDLT (p =.034 and p =.039, respectively). However, the comparison between the ABO-I and ABO-C groups revealed that the CD8+ T cells, CD4/CD8 ratio, Vδ1 cells, Vδ2 cells, γδ T cells, Vδ1/Vδ2 ratio, CD3-CD56+ cells, and CD4+Foxp3+ T cells did not change significantly over time. Conclusions: Absolute lymphocyte counts and CD4+ T cell levels are different between ABO-I and ABO-C groups after LDLT. The present study suggests that T-cell lymphocyte changes in peripheral blood in ABO-I LDLT patients were similar to those in ABO-C LDLT patients.

Keywords::

• liver transplantation
• complications
• T lymphocyte
• ABO-incompatible
• living donors
• ABO-compatible.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

FUNDING

This work was funded by the Korean Society of Organ Transplantation.

Authors contribution

Jong Man Kim: design, literature search, data acquisition, analysis, interpretation, and writing

Jae-Won Joh and Eun-Suk Kang: design and data interpretation

Gyu-Seong Choi, Jae Berm Park, Choon Hyuck David Kwon, Sung Joo Kim, and Suk-Koo Lee: acquisition of data and analysis of data