CN2: Organ Transplantation Flashcards
What is an example of autograft?
Skin graft from one part of the body to another
No transplant rejection
What is the tissue transplant from the same species?
Homograft
What is the tissue transplant from different species?
Xenograft
What are the organs that can be transplanted to humans?
- Skin appendages
- Bone
- BM
- Liver
- Kidney
- Heart
- Lungs
- Pancreas
- Spleen
What is to determine probable compatibility of donor and recipient?
Mendelian mode of inheriting MHC Ag
Each individual has how many MHC Ag that is inherited from the mother and one from the father?
Diploid (has 2 sets)
example: mother with sets AB and father has sets CD, their offspring may have AC, AD, BC, or BD; therefore probabilities are:
- 25% having the same 2 sets
- 50% having only one set
the same implications:
- there’s a 25% probability of finding the most compatible donor among ones’ own sibling
- the monozygote twin is the best possible donor
- there’s a 50% chance that 2 siblings share one set of MHC Ags
- a parent and child share only one set of MHC Ags
Define transplant rejection
The immunological response to incompatibility in a transplanted organ.
How much is the probability of finding the most compatible donor among ones’ own siblings?
25%
What is the best possible donor?
Monozygote twin
How much is the chance that 2 siblings share one set of MHC Ag?
50%
How many MHC Ag does a parent and child share?
One set
What are the different mechanisms of rejection?
- T cell-mediated reactions
a. Direct pathway
b. Indirect - Ab mediated
a. Hyperacute rejection
b. Acute Ab-mediated rejection
MHC Ag on cell-surface of APC of donor organ:
Direct pathway
Class II Ag recognized by CD4+ T cell to:
direct pathway
Cytokines produced to induct macrophages and lymphocytes as effector cells
Class I Ag recognized by CD8+ T cell to:
direct pathway
Activate cytotoxic T cells as killer cells
Recipient T cells recognize alloAg from donor only when presented by the host’s own antigen-presenting cell (APC)
Indirect pathway
What involves preformed Ab (in previously sensitized individual)?
Hyperacute rejection
- occurs within minutes of transplantation
- Ag-Ab rxn at lvl of vascular endothelium
Hyperacute rejection
Type of rejection in a recipient not previously sensitized cause of injury:
Acute Ab-mediated rejection
- complement-dependent cytotoxicity
- Ab-dependent cell-mediated cytolysis
- deposition of Ag-Ab complexes graft vasculature is initial target, an immunologic vasculitis
Acute Ab-mediated rejection
Rejection reactions are classified as:
Hyperacute, acute, and chronic
What rejection occurs within minutes or hours after transplantation and can be recognized by the surgeon just after the graft vasculature is anastomosed to the recipient’s?
Hyperacute rejection
In contrast to a nonrejecting kidney graft, which rapidly regains a normal pink coloration and normal tissue turgor and promptly excretes urine;
a hyper-acutely rejecting kidney becomes:
Cyanotic
Mottled
Flaccid
May excrete a mere few dps of bloody urine
Immunoglobulin and complement are deposited in the vessel wall, and electron microscopy discloses early endothelial injury together with fibrin-platelet thrombi.
Early lesions point to Ag-Ab rxn at the level of vascular endothelium
subsequently, these changes become diffuse and intense, the glomeruli undergo thrombotic occlusion of the capillaries, and fibrinoid necrosis occurs in arterial walls. the kidney cortex then undergoes outright infarction (necrosis), and such nonfxning kidneys have to be removed.
As the changes become diffuse and intense, the glomeruli undergo what?
Thrombotic occlusion of capillaries
Where does fibrinoid necrosis occur?
Arterial walls
What may occur within days of transplantation in the untreated recipient or may appear suddenly months or even years later, after immunosuppression has been employed and terminated?
Acute rejection
What is a combined process in wc both cellular and humoral tissue injuries contribute?
In any one patient, one or the other mechanism may predominate.
Acute graft rejection
Histologically, what is humoral rejection associated with?
Vasculitis
Histologically, what is cellular rejection marked by?
Interstitial mononuclear cell infiltrate
What is most commonly seen within the initial months after transplantation and is heralded by an elevation of serum creatinine lvls followed by clinical signs of renal failure?
Acute cellular rejection
Histological appearance of acute cellular rejection:
- extensive interstitial mononuclear infiltration
- edema
- mild interstitial hemorrhage
What staining reveals CD4 & 8, and these cells express markers of activated T cells s/a alpha chain of the IL-2 receptor?
Immunoperoxides
Glomerular and peritubular capillaries contain large numbers of mononuclear cells that may invade the tubules causing what?
Focal tubular damage
CD8 might also injure vascular endothelial cells causing what?
Endothelitis
What is important bcs in the absence of an accompanying arteritis, px promptly respond to immunosuppressive therapy?
Recognition of cellular rejection
What is a widely used immunosuppressive drug which is nephrotoxic hence histologic changes resulting from it may be superimposed?
Cyclosporine
What is mediated primarily by anti-donor Ab, hence is manifested mainly by damage to the BV?
Acute humoral rejection (rejection vasculitis)
Acute humoral rejection (rejection vasculitis) may take the form of necrotizing vasculitis with:
- Endothelial cell necrosis
- Neutrophilic infiltration
- Deposition of Ig
- Complement
- Fibrin
- Thrombosis
lesions are associated with extensive necrosis of the renal parenchyma
in many cases, the vasculitis is less acute and is characterized by marked thickening of the intima by proliferating fibroblasts, myocytes, and foamy macrophages
What may happen when there is the narrowing of arterioles?
May cause infarction or renal cortical atrophy
What are c/b cytokines that cause growth of vascular smooth muscles?
Proliferative vascular lesions mimic arteriosclerotic thickening
What is an important cause of graft failure?
since acute rejection has been ctrlled by immunosuppressives
Chronic rejection
Px with chronic rejection present clinically w a progressive rise in what?
Serum creatinine over a pd of 4-6 mos
What is dominated by vascular changes, interstitial fibrosis, and tubular atrophy w loss of renal parenchyma?
Chronic rejection
What is consist of dense, obliterative intimal fibrosis, principally in the cortical arteries?
Vascular changes
The vascular lesions result in what?
- renal ischemia manifested by glomerular loss
- interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy
- shrinkage of the renal parenchyma
The glomeruli may show duplication of basement membranes; this appearance is sometimes called what?
Chronic transplant glomerulopathy
Chronically rejecting kidneys usually have mononuclear cell infiltrate containing large numbers of what?
- Plasma cells
- Numerous eosinophils
What are the major targets of transplant rejection?
HLA Antigens
minimizing the HLA disparity between the donor and the recipient would be expected to improve graft survival
HLA and transplants examples:
- Related donor kidney transplants, a beneficial effect of matching for HLA class I is observed
- Cadaver renal transplants, matching for HLA class I Ags (HLA-A and HLA-B) has at best a modest effect on graft acceptance
- Additional matching for class II Ag (HLA-DR) results in a definite improvement in graft survival
However, even HLA-matched unrelated donors are likely to difer from the host at one or more minor histocompatibility Ag. These antigens are formed by peptides derived from polymorphic proteins other than those encoded in the HLA complex. They evoke a weak or slower rejection reaction that, nevertheless, necessitateds the use of immunosuppression.
Except in the case of identical twins, who are obviously matched for all possible histocompatibility Ags, what is a practical necessity in all other donor-recipient combinations?
Immunosuppresive Therapy
What is the mainstay of immunosuppression?
Cyclosporine
What works by blocking activation of a transcription factor called nuclear factor of activated T cells, which is required for transcription of cytokine gene (IL-2)?
Cyclosporine
What is used to treat rejections which inhibits leukocyte development from BM precursors?
Azathioprine
What is used to treat rejections which can block inflammation?
Steroids
What are used to treat rejections which can inhibit lymphocyte proliferation?
Rapamycin
Mycophenolate mofetil
What blocks the activation and may opsonize and help to eliminate the cells?
Monoclonal anti-T-cell Ab
e.g., monoclonal anti-CD3 and Ab against IL-2 receptor a chain, which block T-cell activation and may opsonize and help to eliminate the cells
What are used to dampen the immune response in organ transplantation and autoimmune dse?
Immunosuppressive drugs
In transplantation, the major classes of drugs used today are:
1) glucocorticoids
2) calcineurin inhibitors
3) anti proliferative/anti metabolic agents
These drugs have met with a high degree of clinical success in treating conditions such as acute immune rejection of organ transplants and severe autoimmune diseases. However, such therapies require lifelong use and nonspecifically suppress the entire immune system, exposing px to considerably higher risks of infection and cancer.
What can be nephrotoxic and diabetogenic?
Calcineurin inhibitors and steroids
these are of limited usefulness in a variety of clinical setting
What are important adjunt therapies and provide a unique opportunity to selectively target specific immune-reactive cells and thus promote more specific tx?
Monoclonal and polyclonal antibody preparations directed at reactive T cells
What are being used to target growth factor pathways, substantially limiting clonal expansion and thus promoting tolerance?
Sirolimus and anti-CD25 (IL-2 receptor) Ab (basiliximab, daclizumab)
What are the 5 general principles of organ transplant therapy?
1) careful px prep and selection of best available ABO-compatible HLA match for organ donation
2) a multititered approach to immunosuppressive drug therapy (several agents are used simultaneously, each of which is directed at a different molecular target within the allograft response. Synergistic effects are obtained through application of the various agents at a relatively low doses, thereby limiting specific toxicities while maximizing the immunosuppressive effect)
3) greater immunosuppression
4) careful investigation of each episode of transplant dysfxn (eval for rejection, drug toxicity, infxn; they can co-exist)
5) redxn or withdrawal of a therapeutic agent when toxicity exceeds its benefit
To gain early engraftment and/or to treat established rejection than maintain immunosuppression in the long term:
therefore, intensive induction and lower-dose maintenance drug protocols are employed
Greater immunosuppression
Response elements in DNA (regulate gene transcription)
Glucocorticoids
T-cell receptor complex (blocks Ag recognition)
Muromonab-CD3
Calcineurin (inhibits phosphatase activity)
Cyclosporine and Tacrolimus
DNA (false nucleotide incorporation)
Azathioprine
Inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (inhibits activity)
Mycophenolate mofetil
IL-2 receptor (block IL-2-mediated T cell activation)
Daclizumab, Basiliximab
Protein kinase involved in cell-cycle progression (mTOR) (inhibits activity)
Sirolimus
What are used as induction therapy in the immediate post transplantation period?
- Muromonab-CD3
- Anti-CD25 monoclonal Ab
- Polyclonal anti-lymophocyte Ab
These tx enables initial engraftment without the use of high doses of nephrotoxic calcineurin inhibitors:
Muromonab-CD3
Anti-CD25 monoclonal Ab
Polyclonal antilymophocyte Ab
such protocols reduce the incidence of early rejection and appear to be particularly beneficial for patients, pediatric recipients, or African Americans
What are directed at a discrete site in T cell activation?
- Calcineurin inhibitor
- Steroids
- Mycophenolate mofetil
- typical therapy
- also basic immunosuppressive protocol used in most transplant center involves the use of multiple drugs simultaneously
What is a purine metabolism inhibitor?
Mycophenolate mofetil
What are effective in preventing acute cellular rejection but not as effective in blocking T cells that already are activated, and are not very effective against established, acute rejection or for total prevention of chronic rejection?
Low doses of prednisone, calcineurin inhibitors, purine-metabolism inhibitors, or sirolimus
Agents directed against activated T cells
- Glucocorticoids in high doses (pulse therapy)
- Polyclonal antilymophocyte Ab
- Muromonab-CD3
Steroids lyse and induce the redistribution of lymphocytes = rapid, transient decrease in peripheral blood lymphocyte cts
For long term effects to occur: they bind to receptors inside cells, then receptors OR glucocorticoid-induced CHON bind to DNA = transcription
additonally, glucocorticoid-receptor complexes increase IkB expression, thereby curtailing activation of NFkB, which results in increased apoptosis of activated cells.
Of central importance is the downregulation of important proinflammatory cytokines s/a IL-1 and IL-6.
T cells are inhibited from making IL-2 and proliferating. The activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes is inhibited. Netro and monocytes display poor chemotaxis and decreased lysosomal enx release.
Therefore, glucocorticoids have broad antiinflammatory effects on cellular immunity. In contrast, they have relatively little effect on humoral immunity.
Adrenocortical steroids MOA