The use of genomics and proteomics for the recognition of transplantation rejection of solid organs

Solid organ transplantation has saved many lives since its first success in 1954. Prior to that landmark day, the greatest obstacle to transplantation success was the recipients rejection of the transplanted organ. Although much has been learned about the immune response to transplant, organ rejection remains a prevalent clinical problem. Recent advances in the fields of genomics and proteomics have opened the door to patented new technologies for detecting rejection episodes in transplanted patients, and are even beginning to prospectively diagnose the risk of rejection based on donor and recipient biomarkers. This report briefly discusses transplant rejection, with highlights of published manuscripts that incorporate current assays utilizing genomic and or proteomic methods to detect rejection, reviews patents that focus on detection or therapy of transplant rejection, and concludes with a prospective discussion of future developments in the field of transplant rejection.