Cell-based assays for antibody mediated rejection risk assessment in kidney transplant recipients
Cell-based assays for antibody mediated rejection risk assessment in kidney transplant recipients
After a kidney transplant, it’s important that the body does not reject the new organ. Sometimes, the immune system still reacts, even when no clear warning signs appear in the blood. This thesis of Dania Altulea explores how that can happen.
It looks at special immune cells, called memory B cells, that “remember” earlier immune responses and can become active again. The role of endothelial cells, the cells that line the blood vessels in the kidney, was also examined. These cells may be involved in immune reactions that current tests don’t always detect. To better study these processes, new kidney-specific celllines were developed in the lab: iMPRECs (immortalized microvascular perfusate-derived renal endothelial cells). These blood vessel cells were grown from the preservation fluid of donor kidneys and then immortalized, meaning they can be used long-term in research. They retain key features of real kidney tissue and enable more accurate investigation of how immune responses may affect the transplant.
The findings offer new insights into rejection and help improve risk assessment.