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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of T, B and Myeloid Cells Suppressive Activity and Humoral Responses from Transplant Recipients
Published on: August 12, 2017
[Regulatory T cell based transplant tolerance--freedom from immunosuppression]
Takaaki Koshiba1, Atsushi Ito, Ying Li
1Horizontal Medical Research Organization, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University.
Achieving transplant tolerance is rare, but liver transplant patients in the Kyoto protocol successfully stopped immunosuppression. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are key to this liver transplant tolerance, with precursor Tregs showing promise for future therapies.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Transplant Science
- Cellular Biology
Background:
- Clinical transplantation tolerance remains a significant challenge.
- The Kyoto elective protocol has shown success in enabling immunosuppression withdrawal post-liver transplant.
- The precise mechanisms underlying liver transplant tolerance are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in liver transplant tolerance.
- To identify potential cellular sources for Treg-based therapies in transplantation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in patients who underwent liver transplantation.
- Investigation of Treg behavior upon stimulation with allo-antigen in human peripheral blood.
Main Results:
- Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are implicated as crucial players in achieving liver transplant tolerance.
- Precursor-like Tregs were identified in human peripheral blood.
- These precursor-like Tregs demonstrated propagation upon allo-antigen stimulation, unlike anergic Tregs.
Conclusions:
- Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are vital for the development of liver transplant tolerance.
- Precursor-like Tregs represent a promising cellular source for Treg expansion therapies.
- Harnessing these cells could facilitate broader clinical application of Tregs for transplant tolerance.
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