Strategies to prevent organ transplant rejection whilst minimizing long-term immunosuppression are currently under intense investigation with regulatory T cells (Tregs) nearing clinical application. The clinical trial, ThRIL, recently commenced at King's College London, proposes to use Treg cell therapy to induce tolerance in liver transplant recipients, the success of which has the potential to revolutionize the management of these patients and enable a future of drug-free transplants. This is the first report of the manufacture of clinical grade Tregs from prospective liver transplant recipients via a CliniMACS-based GMP isolation technique and expanded using anti-CD3/CD28 beads, IL-2 and rapamycin. We report the enrichment of a pure, stable population of Tregs (>95% CD4+CD25+FOXP3+), reaching adequate numbers for their clinical application. Our protocol proved successful in, influencing the expansion of superior functional Tregs, as compared to freshly isolated cells, whilst also preventing their conversion to Th17 cells under pro-inflammatory conditions. We conclude with the manufacture of the final Treg product in the clinical research facility (CRF), a prerequisite for the clinical application of these cells. The data presented in this manuscript together with the much-anticipated clinical results from ThRIL, will undoubtedly inform the improved management of the liver transplant recipient.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an important role in immunoregulation and have been shown in animal models to promote transplantation tolerance and curb autoimmunity following their adoptive transfer. The safety and potential therapeutic efficacy of these cells has already been reported in Phase I trials of bone-marrow transplantation and type I diabetes, the success of which has motivated the broadened application of these cells in solid-organ transplantation. Despite major advances in the clinical translation of these cells, there are still key questions to be addressed to ensure that Tregs attest their reputation as ideal candidates for tolerance induction. In this review, we will discuss the unique traits of Tregs that have attracted such fame in the arena of tolerance induction. We will outline the protocols used for their ex vivo expansion and discuss the future directions of Treg cell therapy. In this regard, we will review the concept of Treg heterogeneity, the desire to isolate and expand a functionally superior Treg population and report on the effect of differing culture conditions. The relevance of Treg migratory capacity will also be discussed together with methods of in vivo visualization of the infused cells. Moreover, we will highlight key advances in the identification and expansion of antigen-specific Tregs and discuss their significance for cell therapy application. We will also summarize the clinical parameters that are of importance, alongside cell manufacture, from the choice of immunosuppression regimens to the number of injections in order to direct the success of future efficacy trials of Treg cell therapy. Years of research in the field of tolerance have seen an accumulation of knowledge and expertise in the field of Treg biology. This perpetual progression has been the driving force behind the many successes to date and has put us now within touching distance of our ultimate success, immunological tolerance.

SummaryThe concept of regulatory T cell (T reg ) therapy in transplantation is now a reality. Significant advances in science and technology have enabled us to isolate human T regs , expand them to clinically relevant numbers and infuse them into human transplant recipients. With several Phase I/II trials under way investigating T reg safety and efficacy it is now more crucial than ever to understand their complex biology. However, our journey is by no means complete; results from these trials will undoubtedly provoke both further knowledge and enquiry which, alongside evolving science, will continue to drive the optimization of T reg therapy in the pursuit of transplantation tolerance. In this review we will summarize current knowledge of T reg biology, explore novel technologies in the setting of T reg immunotherapy and address key prerequisites surrounding the clinical application of T regs in transplantation.

Solid organ transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage organ dysfunction. Despite improvements in short-term outcome, long-term outcome is suboptimal due to the increased morbidity and mortality associated with the toxicity of immunosuppressive regimens and chronic rejection (1–5). As such, the attention of the transplant community has focused on the development of novel therapeutic strategies to achieve allograft tolerance, a state whereby the immune system of the recipient can be re-educated to accept the allograft, averting the need for long-term immunosuppression. Indeed, reports of “operational” tolerance, whereby the recipient is off all immunosuppressive drugs and maintaining good graft function, is well documented in the literature for both liver and kidney transplantations (6–8). However, this phenomenon is rare and in the setting of liver transplantation has been shown to occur late after transplantation, with the majority of patients maintained on life-long immunosupression to prevent allograft rejection (9). As such, significant research has focused on immune regulation in the context of organ transplantation with regulatory T cells (Tregs) identified as cells holding considerable promise in this endeavor. This review will provide a brief introduction to human Tregs, their phenotypic and functional characterization and focuses on our experience to date at the clinical translation of Treg immunotherapy in the setting of solid organ transplantation.

Purinergic signaling has been recognized as playing an important role in inflammation, angiogenesis, malignancy, diabetes and neural transmission. Activation of signaling pathways downstream from purinergic receptors may also be implicated in transplantation and related vascular injury. Following transplantation, the proinflammatory “danger signal” adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is released from damaged cells and promotes proliferation and activation of a variety of immune cells. Targeting purinergic signaling pathways may promote immunosuppression and ameliorate inflammation. Under pathophysiological conditions, nucleotide-scavenging ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73 hydrolyze ATP, ultimately, to the anti-inflammatory mediator adenosine. Adenosine suppresses proinflammatory cytokine production and is associated with improved graft survival and decreased severity of graft-versus-host disease. Furthermore, purinergic signaling is involved both directly and indirectly in the mechanism of action of several existing immunosuppressive drugs, such as calcineurin inhibitors and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors. Targeting of purinergic receptor pathways, particularly in the setting of combination therapies, could become a valuable immunosuppressive strategy in transplantation. This review focuses on the role of the purinergic signaling pathway in transplantation and immunosuppression and explores possible future applications in clinical practice.

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The global incidence of tuberculosis (TB) infection was estimated by the WHO to be 10 million cases in 2018, 85% of whom had pulmonary TB (pTB) infection (WHO 2019). In Europe, the extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) incidence is increasing, accounting for 22.6% of new cases reported in 2017 (ECDC 2019). Furthermore, the incidence of articular TB infections has risen in Europe (Jutte 2004, Lesic 2010. This is reflected in UK surveillance data, where in 2017, 2.2% of new TB cases presented with non-spinal bone infections (Kruijshaar 2009, PHE 2018. Globally, this rise in EPTB infections has largely been ascribed to a growing population of immunosuppressed patients including those on long-term steroids and biologic therapies, as well as to an ageing population (Pigrau-Serrallach 2013, Byng-Maddick 2016). However, in low-incidence countries in Europe the rise in articular TB infections has also been attributed to increasing rates of migration (Jutte 2004, Krujishaar 2009. EPTB infection is thought to occur through haematogenous, contiguous or lymphatic spread in the primary infection stage, when mycobacteria can spread to any organ or tissue and remain dormant for years. Articular infection most commonly affects weight-bearing large joints such as the spine, knees and hips. Infection is often slowly progressing with joint effusions and pain, progressing to the formation of sinus tracts and eventually to complete joint destruction (Hogan 2017). Initial symptoms are vague and may mimic other conditions such as bacterial osteoarticular infection. This can result in significant diagnostic delay, especially in settings where TB is non-endemic and clinical suspicion is low (Erdem 2005, Broderick 2018). Most studies describing osteoarticular TB have focused on paediatric populations or on spinal TB with only a few published case series of extra-

By utilizing advances in science and technology, we can optimize Treg therapy in human organ transplantation maximizing their prospects in the arena of transplantation tolerance.