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Updated: Jun 22, 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
Analysis of CD8+CD28- T-suppressor cells in living donor liver transplant recipients
Yi-Xin Lin1, Lan-Lan Wang, Lu-Nan Yan
1Center of Liver Transplantation and Department of Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Background:
Human CD8+CD28- T-suppressor (Ts) cells have been considered to indicate a reduced need for immunosuppression in pediatric liver-intestine transplant recipients and recipients of deceased heart-kidney transplants. However, in adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (A-A LDLT) little information is available and the clinical significance is still unknown.
Methods:
Flow cytometry was used to detect the population of CD8+CD28- Ts cells present in peripheral blood in A-A LDLT recipients (n=31), patients with end-stage liver disease (n=24) and healthy controls (n=19). Meanwhile, we tested the graft function and trough levels of immunosuppression in recipients. The clinical and follow-up data of 31 transplant recipients were analyzed.
Results:
Compared with diseased controls (P=0.007) and healthy individuals (P=0.000), a notable expansion of CD8+CD28- Ts cells was found in recipients of A-A LDLT. This was associated with graft function, levels of immunosuppression and rejection episodes.
Conclusions:
To monitor the CD8+CD28- Ts cells levels is important to evaluate the immune state of recipients. Meanwhile, it is also important to promote expansion of CD8+CD28- Ts cells in recipients of A-A LDLT, not only to sustain good graft function and decrease the dosage of immunosuppressants, but also to reduce the occurrence of rejection.
