Evolution of CD4+CD25hi T cell subsets in Aspergillus-infected liver transplantation recipients reduces the incidence of transplantation rejection via upregulating the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Infection is the leading risk factor of liver transplantationrelated death. Aspergillosis is a life-threatening complication in immunecompromised patients, and is the cause of approximately 2/3 of deaths in liver transplant recipients. In our previous studies, we found a regulatory T cell (Treg) population that showed significantly increased immune tolerance in Aspergillus-infected liver transplant recipients. Furthermore, interleukin (IL)-17 production was also increased, and an IL-17-producing Treg cell subset was identified in these patients. Functional studies of the role of these IL-17-producing Treg cells in the induction of immune tolerance are needed to help reduce the death rate of liver transplantation recipients. This study included 75 liver transplant recipients with and Moreover, IL-6 decreased and IL-4 increased in the blood serum of Aspergillus-infected liver transplant recipients. Together, these results indicate that the incidence of graft rejection in liver transplantation recipients with Aspergillus infections was lower than that of the non-infected group, and suggests a mechanism for this effect.

Role of natural killer cells in liver transplantation treatment of liver cancer

“…Following LT, the characteristics of the inflammatory environment, in which innate/acquired immune system recognition of the alloantigen takes place, determines the lineage commitment of immune cells (30). Thus, depending on the cytokines that are present when antigen activation occurs, innate immune cells including macrophages, dendric cells and NK cells, may acquire cytopathic and/or immunoregulatory phenotypes.…”