Cutting Edge: Immunological consequences and trafficking of human regulatory macrophages administered to renal transplant recipients

J Immunol. 2011 Sep 1;187(5):2072-8. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1100762. Epub 2011 Jul 29.

Abstract

Regulatory macrophages (M regs) were administered to two living-donor renal transplant recipients. Both patients were minimized to low-dose tacrolimus monotherapy within 24 wk of transplantation and subsequently maintained excellent graft function. After central venous administration, most M regs remained viable and were seen to traffic from the pulmonary vasculature via the blood to liver, spleen, and bone marrow. By 1 y posttransplantation, both patients displayed patterns of peripheral blood gene expression converging upon the IOT-RISET signature. Furthermore, both patients maintained levels of peripheral blood FOXP3 and TOAG-1 mRNA expression within the range consistent with nonrejection. It is concluded that M regs warrant further study as a potential immune-conditioning therapy for use in solid-organ transplantation. The results of this work are being used to inform the design of The ONE Study, a multinational clinical trial of immunomodulatory cell therapy in renal transplantation.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Movement*
  • Cell Separation
  • Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / immunology*
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Graft Rejection / immunology
  • Graft Rejection / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Kidney Transplantation / immunology*
  • Macrophages / cytology*
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Macrophages / transplantation
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Young Adult

Associated data

  • GEO/GSE24172