Belatacept Combined With Transient Calcineurin Inhibitor Therapy Prevents Rejection and Promotes Improved Long-Term Renal Allograft Function.

Belatacept, a T cell costimulation blocker, demonstrated superior renal function, lower cardiovascular risk, and improved graft and patient survival in renal transplant recipients. Despite the potential benefits, adoption of belatacept has been limited in part due to concerns regarding higher rates and grades of acute rejection in clinical trials. Since July 2011, we have utilized belatacept-based immunosuppression regimens in clinical practice. In this retrospective analysis of 745 patients undergoing renal transplantation at our center, we compared patients treated with belatacept (n = 535) with a historical cohort receiving a tacrolimus-based protocol (n = 205). Patient and graft survival were equivalent for all groups. An increased rate of acute rejection was observed in an initial cohort treated with a protocol similar to the low-intensity regimen from the BENEFIT trial versus the historical tacrolimus group (50.5% vs. 20.5%). The addition of a transient course of tacrolimus reduced rejection rates to acceptable levels (16%). Treatment with belatacept was associated with superior estimated GFR (belatacept 63.8 mL/min vs. tacrolimus 46.2 mL/min at 4 years, p < 0.0001). There were no differences in serious infections including rates of cytomegalovirus or BK viremia. We describe the development of a costimulatory blockade-based strategy that ultimately allows renal transplant recipients to achieve calcineurin inhibitor-free immunosuppression.

Changes in Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation One Year After KAS Implementation.

After over a decade of discussion, analysis, and consensus-building, a new kidney allocation system (KAS) was implemented on December 4, 2014. Key goals included improving longevity matching between donor kidneys and recipients and broadening access for historically disadvantaged subpopulations, in particular highly sensitized patients and those with an extended duration on dialysis but delayed referral for transplantation. To evaluate the early impact of KAS, we compared Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data 1 year before versus after implementation. The distribution of transplants across many recipient characteristics has changed markedly and suggests that in many ways the new policy is achieving its goals. Transplants in which the donor and recipient age differed by more than 30 years declined by 23%. Initial, sharp increases in transplants were observed for Calculated Panel-Reactive Antibody 99-100% recipients and recipients with at least 10 years on dialysis, with a subsequent tapering of transplants to these groups suggesting bolus effects. Although KAS has arguably increased fairness in allocation, the potential costs of broadening access must be considered. Kidneys are more often being shipped over long distances, leading to increased cold ischemic times. Delayed graft function rates have increased, but 6-month graft survival rates have not changed significantly.

Anti-Leukocyte Function-Associated Antigen 1 Therapy in a Nonhuman Primate Renal Transplant Model of Costimulation Blockade-Resistant Rejection.

Costimulation blockade with the fusion protein belatacept provides a desirable side effect profile and improvement in renal function compared with calcineurin inhibition in renal transplantation. This comes at the cost of increased rates of early acute rejection. Blockade of the integrin molecule leukocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) has been shown to be an effective adjuvant to costimulation blockade in a rigorous nonhuman primate (NHP) model of islet transplantation; therefore, we sought to test this combination in an NHP renal transplant model. Rhesus macaques received belatacept maintenance therapy with or without the addition of LFA-1 blockade, which was achieved using a murine-derived LFA-1-specific antibody TS1/22. Additional experiments were performed using chimeric rhesus IgG1 (TS1/22R1) or IgG4 (TS1/22R4) variants, each engineered to limit antibody clearance. Despite evidence of proper binding to the target molecule and impaired cellular egress from the intravascular space indicative of a therapeutic effect similar to prior islet studies, LFA-1 blockade failed to significantly prolong graft survival. Furthermore, evidence of impaired protective immunity against cytomegalovirus was observed. These data highlight the difficulties in translating treatment regimens between organ models and suggest that the primarily vascularized renal model is more robust with regard to belatacept-resistant rejection than the islet model.

Inhibition of αvß6 promotes acute renal allograft rejection in nonhuman primates.

The integrin αvß6 activates latent transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) within the kidney and may be a target for the prevention of chronic allograft fibrosis after kidney transplantation. However, TGF-ß also has known immunosuppressive properties that are exploited by calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs); thus, the net benefit of αvß6 inhibition remains undetermined. To assess the acute impact of interference with αvß6 on acute rejection, we tested a humanized αvß6-specific monoclonal antibody (STX-100) in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled nonhuman primate renal transplantation study to evaluate whether αvß6 blockade alters the risk of acute rejection during CNI-based immunosuppression. Rhesus monkeys underwent renal allotransplantation under standard CNI-based maintenance immunosuppression; 10 biopsy-confirmed rejection-free animals were randomized to receive weekly STX-100 or placebo. Animals treated with STX-100 experienced significantly decreased rejection-free survival compared to placebo animals (p = 0.049). Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed αvß6 ligand presence, and αvß6 staining intensity was lower in STX-100-treated animals (p = 0.055), indicating an apparent blockade effect of STX-100. LAP, LTBP-1 and TGF-ß were all decreased in animals that rejected on STX-100 compared to those that rejected on standard immunosuppression alone, suggesting a relevant effect of αvß6 blockade on local TGF-ß. These data caution against the use of αvß6 blockade to achieve TGF-ß inhibition in kidney transplantation.

Belatacept and sirolimus prolong nonhuman primate renal allograft survival without a requirement for memory T cell depletion.

Belatacept is an inhibitor of CD28/B7 costimulation that is clinically indicated as a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) alternative in combination with mycophenolate mofetil and steroids after renal transplantation. We sought to develop a clinically translatable, nonlymphocyte depleting, belatacept-based regimen that could obviate the need for both CNIs and steroids. Thus, based on murine data showing synergy between costimulation blockade and mTOR inhibition, we studied rhesus monkeys undergoing MHC-mismatched renal allotransplants treated with belatacept and the mTOR inhibitor, sirolimus. To extend prior work on costimulation blockade-resistant rejection, some animals also received CD2 blockade with alefacept (LFA3-Ig). Belatacept and sirolimus therapy successfully prevented rejection in all animals. Tolerance was not induced, as animals rejected after withdrawal of therapy. The regimen did not deplete T cells. Alefecept did not add a survival benefit to the optimized belatacept and sirolimus regimen, despite causing an intended depletion of memory T cells, and caused a marked reduction in regulatory T cells. Furthermore, alefacept-treated animals had a significantly increased incidence of CMV reactivation, suggesting that this combination overly compromised protective immunity. These data support belatacept and sirolimus as a clinically translatable, nondepleting, CNI-free, steroid-sparing immunomodulatory regimen that promotes sustained rejection-free allograft survival after renal transplantation.

Experience with a novel efalizumab-based immunosuppressive regimen to facilitate single donor islet cell transplantation.

Islet transplantation is an experimental therapy for selected patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). It remains limited by immunosuppressive drug toxicity, progressive loss of insulin independence, allosensitization and the need for multiple islet donors. We describe our experience with an efalizumab-based immunosuppressive regimen as compared to the prevailing standard regimen, the Edmonton protocol. Twelve patients with T1DM received islet transplants: eight were treated with the Edmonton protocol; four were treated with daclizumab induction, a 6-month course of tacrolimus, and maintenance with efalizumab and mycophenolate mofetil. The primary endpoint was insulin independence after one islet infusion. Only two Edmonton protocol treated patients achieved the primary endpoint; six required islets from multiple donors, and all experienced leukopenia, mouth ulcers, anemia, diarrhea and hypertransaminasemia. Four became allosensitized. All patients treated with the efalizumab-based regimen achieved insulin independence with normal hemoglobin A1c after a single islet cell infusion and remained insulin independent while on efalizumab. These patients experienced significantly fewer side effects and none became allosensitized. Trial continuation was terminated by withdrawal of efalizumab from the market. These data suggest that this efalizumab-based regimen prevents islet rejection, is well tolerated, and allows for single donor islet transplantation.

Viral infection abrogates CD8(+) T-cell deletion induced by costimulation blockade.

BACKGROUND: Treatment with a single donor-specific transfusion (DST) plus a brief course of anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody (mAb) prolongs skin allograft survival in mice. It is known that prolongation of allograft survival by this method depends in part on deletion of alloreactive CD8(+) T cells at the time of tolerance induction. Recent data suggest that infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) abrogates the ability of this protocol to prolong graft survival. METHODS: To study the mechanism by which viral infection abrogates allograft survival, we determined (1) the fate of tracer populations of alloreactive transgenic CD8(+) T cells and (2) the duration of skin allograft survival following treatment with DST and anti-CD154 mAb in the presence or absence of LCMV infection. RESULTS: We confirmed that treatment of uninfected mice with DST and anti-CD154 mAb leads to the deletion of alloreactive CD8(+) T cells and is associated with prolongation of skin allograft survival. In contrast, treatment with DST and anti-CD154 mAb in the presence of intercurrent LCMV infection was associated with the failure to delete alloreactive CD8(+) T cells and with the rapid rejection of skin allografts. The number of alloreactive CD8(+) cells actually increased significantly, and the cells acquired an activated phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: Interference with the deletion of alloreactive CD8(+) T cells mediated by DST and anti-CD154 mAb may in part be the mechanism by which viral infection abrogates transplantation tolerance induction.