Journal article

Publication year: 2014

Pages: 561-569

Journal: Human Immunology

Volume number: 75

Issue number: 6

ISSN: 0198-8859

eISSN: 1879-1166

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humimm.2014.02.015

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 

Background and methods: We showed previously that rabbit ATG induction induces a strong decrease of CD4+ T cells together with impaired in vitro IL-2 secretion up to 1 year post-transplant. To further characterize long-term immunological effects of ATG induction 2 and 5 years post-transplant, we used sensitive intracellular cytokine analysis in the same prospective study of 84 renal transplant recipients (ATG, n = 44).

Results: A significantly increased frequency of severe infectious disease (HR = 2.0,p = 0.027) as well as suppressed T cell functions were found within 2 years after ATG induction but not beyond (logistic regression (logreg): CD4 cell IL-10 responses, p = 0.064; T cell proliferation, p = 0.038). Impaired T cell proliferation at 2 years was associated with occurrence of severe infection (p = 0.017). Importantly, a strong and persistent decrease of CD4 cell counts (p < 0.0005 at 5 years) was independently associated with ATG induction (logreg p = 0.002) but not related to functional CD4 cell impairment (helper activity/cytokine production) or an increased risk of infection.

Conclusions: Severe infection up to 2 years after ATG induction was associated with impaired T cell proliferative capacity but not with the profound decline in CD4 cell counts that occurred after ATG induction and persisted up to 5 years. (C) 2014 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Harvard Citation style: Weimer, R., Ettrich, M., Renner, F., Dietrich, H., Suesal, C., Deisz, S., et al. (2014) ATG induction in renal transplant recipients: Long-term hazard of severe infection is associated with long-term functional T cell impairment but not the ATG-induced CD4 cell decline, Human Immunology, 75(6), pp. 561-569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humimm.2014.02.015

APA Citation style: Weimer, R., Ettrich, M., Renner, F., Dietrich, H., Suesal, C., Deisz, S., Padberg, W., & Opelz, G. (2014). ATG induction in renal transplant recipients: Long-term hazard of severe infection is associated with long-term functional T cell impairment but not the ATG-induced CD4 cell decline. Human Immunology. 75(6), 561-569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humimm.2014.02.015