Indirect podocyte injury manifested in a partial podocytectomy mouse model.

In progressive glomerular diseases, segmental podocyte injury often expands, leading to global glomerulosclerosis by unclear mechanisms. To study the expansion of podocyte injury, we established a new mosaic mouse model in which a fraction of podocytes express human (h)CD25 and can be injured by the immunotoxin LMB2. hCD25+ and hCD25- podocytes were designed to express tdTomato and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), respectively, which enabled cell sorting analysis of podocytes. After the injection of LMB2, mosaic mice developed proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis. Not only tdTomato+ podocytes but also EGFP+ podocytes were decreased in number and showed damage, as evidenced by a decrease in nephrin and an increase in desmin at both protein and RNA levels. Transcriptomics analysis found a decrease in the glucocorticoid-induced transcript 1 gene and an increase in the thrombospondin 4, heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor, and transforming growth factor-ß genes in EGFP+ podocytes; these genes may be candidate mediators of secondary podocyte damage. Pathway analysis suggested that focal adhesion, integrin-mediated cell adhesion, and focal adhesion-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt-mammalian target of rapamycin signaling are involved in secondary podocyte injury. Finally, treatment of mosaic mice with angiotensin II receptor blocker markedly ameliorated secondary podocyte injury. This mosaic podocyte injury model has distinctly demonstrated that damaged podocytes cause secondary podocyte damage, which may be a promising therapeutic target in progressive kidney diseases.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This novel mosaic model has demonstrated that when a fraction of podocytes is injured, other podocytes are subjected to secondary injury. This spreading of injury may occur ubiquitously irrespective of the primary cause of podocyte injury, leading to end-stage renal failure. Understanding the molecular mechanism of secondary podocyte injury and its prevention is important for the treatment of progressive kidney diseases. This model will be a powerful tool for studying the indirect podocyte injury.

Sustained IL-2R signaling of limited duration by high-dose mIL-2/mCD25 fusion protein amplifies tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells to enhance antitumor immunity.

High-dose IL-2 induces cancer regression but its therapeutic use is limited due to high toxicities resulting from its broad cell targeting. In one strategy to overcome this limitation, IL-2 has been modified to selectively target the intermediate affinity IL-2R that broadly activates memory-phenotypic CD8+ T and NK cells, while minimizing Treg-associated tolerance. In this study, we modeled an alternative strategy to amplify tumor antigen-specific TCR transgenic CD8+ T cells through limited application of a long-acting IL-2 fusion protein, mIL-2/mCD25, which selectively targets the high-affinity IL-2R. Here, mice were vaccinated with a tumor antigen and high-dose mIL-2/mCD25 was applied to coincide with the induction of the high affinity IL-2R on tumor-specific T cells. A single high dose of mIL-2/mCD25, but not an equivalent amount of IL-2, amplified the frequency and function of tumor-reactive CD8+ T effector (Teff) and memory cells. These mIL-2/mCD25-dependent effects relied on distinctive requirements for TLR signals during priming of CD8+ tumor-specific T cells. The mIL-2/mCD25-amplified tumor-reactive effector and memory T cells supported long-lasting antitumor responses to B16-F10 melanoma. This regimen only transiently increased Tregs, yielding a favorable Teff-Treg ratio within the tumor microenvironment. Notably, mIL-2/mCD25 did not increase non-tumor-specific Teff or NK cells within tumors, further substantiating the specificity of mIL-2/mCD25 for tumor antigen-activated T cells. Thus, the selectivity and persistence of mIL-2/mCD25 in conjunction with a tumor vaccine supports antitumor immunity through a mechanism that is distinct from recombinant IL-2 or IL-2-based biologics that target the intermediate affinity IL-2R.

Primary pediatric deceased-donor kidney transplant recipients outcomes by immunosuppression induction received in the United States.

BACKGROUND: We studied the association of induction immunosuppression and pediatric deceased-donor kidney recipient and graft survival. METHODS: We utilized the SRTR to evaluate all primary pediatric deceased-donor kidney transplants from January 1st, 2000, through December 2018. We included only recipients who were maintained on tacrolimus and mycophenolate. Recipients were grouped by induction type: alemtuzumab n = 320, r-ATG n = 2091 and IL-2RA n = 2165. Recipient and allograft survival, and their predictors, were examined. Models were adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, HLA-antigen mismatches, transplant year, steroid maintenance, pre-emptive transplantation and payor type, with the transplant center included as a random effect. RESULTS: Rejection rates at 6 months (alemtuzumab 8.6% vs r-ATG 7.8% vs IL2-RA 9.2%; P = .30) and 12 months (alemtuzumab 17.2% vs r-ATG 15.7% vs IL2-RA 16.5%; P = .70) were not significantly different between induction groups. In the multivariable models, compared to IL-2RA neither alemtuzumab nor r-ATG was associated with improved recipient [alemtuzumab (HR 1.06, P = .88); r-ATG (HR 1.03, P = .84)] or graft survival [alemtuzumab (HR 1.18, P = .32); r-ATG (HR 1.10, P = .21)]. CONCLUSION: In this large cohort of standard immunological risk primary pediatric deceased-donor kidney recipients on tacrolimus and mycophenolate maintenance, depletional induction regimens were not associated with better rejection rates, recipient, or graft survival compared to IL-2RA induction. Racial, payor type, and sex-related outcome disparities were significant in this group independent of the induction choice.

Primary pediatric live-donor-kidney transplant-recipients' outcomes by immunosuppression induction received in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between induction type and outcomes of live-donor pediatric kidney recipients on tacrolimus and mycophenolate maintenance. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed the SRTR standard analysis file to evaluate primary live-donor pediatric kidney recipients between 2000 and 2018. Recipients were grouped by induction type into three groups: alemtuzumab n = 289, anti-thymocyte n = 1197, and IL-2RA n = 1625. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated for recipient and death-censored graft survival. Predictors of recipient and allograft survival were examined using Cox proportional hazards models. Models were adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, renal failure etiology, HLA-mismatches, transplant year, steroid maintenance, preemptive transplantation, payor type, and donor factors such as age, sex, and donor-recipient relationship. The transplant center was included as a random effect to account for inter-center variability. RESULTS: Rejection rates at 6 months (Alemtuzumab 9.5% vs. r-ATG 5.7% vs. IL2-RA 5.3%; P: .023) and 12 months (Alemtuzumab 14.5% vs. r-ATG 10.8% vs. IL2-RA 9%; P: .028) were significantly higher in the alemtuzumab group. PTLD rate (Alemtuzumab 0.8% vs. r-ATG 2.2% vs. IL2-RA 1%; P: .028) was significantly higher in the anti-thymocyte group. In the multivariable models, induction type did not influence patient or death-censored graft survival within ten years post-transplant. CONCLUSION: In this large cohort of standard immunological risk primary pediatric live-donor kidney recipients, as compared to IL-2RA, neither alemtuzumab nor anti-thymocyte globulin was associated with improved long-term graft or recipient survival. In the first year post-transplant, recipients of alemtuzumab induction had a higher rejection rate, while PTLD was more frequently observed in the anti-thymocyte recipients.

Safety and efficacy of daclizumab in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: 3-year results from the SELECTED open-label extension study.

BACKGROUND: Daclizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody against CD25 that modulates interleukin 2 signaling. The SELECT TRILOGY of clinical studies (SELECT/SELECTION/SELECTED) evaluated the safety and efficacy of daclizumab in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). We report the long-term safety and efficacy of daclizumab 150 mg subcutaneous every 4 weeks in patients with RRMS in the SELECTED open-label extension study. METHODS: An interim intent-to-treat analysis of all enrolled patients was performed in January 2014 for this ongoing study. RESULTS: The SELECTED study enrolled 90% of patients who completed SELECTION. In the safety and efficacy analysis (N = 410), median treatment time in SELECTED was 25 months (range, <1-45). Adverse events (AEs) were reported in 76% of patients, serious AEs (SAEs) excluding MS relapse in 16%, and treatment discontinuation due to AEs including multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse in 12%. AEs were primarily of mild to moderate severity, and common AEs (≥10%), excluding MS relapse, were nasopharyngitis (12%) and upper respiratory tract infection (12%). Most commonly reported SAEs (in ≥3 patients), excluding MS relapses, were increased serum hepatic enzymes, pneumonia, ulcerative colitis, and urinary tract infection (<1% each). Incidences of AE groups of interest include cutaneous events (28%), cutaneous SAEs (2%), gastrointestinal SAEs (2%), hepatic SAEs, (1%) and malignancies (1%). The incidence of AEs, SAEs, and treatment-related study discontinuations did not increase over time and no deaths were reported. The adjusted annualized relapse rate (95% confidence interval (CI)) analyzed at 6-month intervals was 0.15 (0.10-0.22) for weeks 97-120 and 0.15 (0.10-0.21) for weeks 121-144. In year 3, the adjusted mean (95% CI) number of new/newly enlarging T2 hyperintense lesions was 1.26 (0.93-1.72) and the mean (median) annualized change in brain volume was -0.32% (-0.34%). CONCLUSIONS: The AE incidence did not increase with extension of therapy into year 3 in SELECTED; the safety profile was similar to that previously observed. The clinical efficacy of daclizumab was sustained over the 3 years comprising the SELECT TRILOGY, although potential selection bias cannot be excluded. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01051349; first registered January 15, 2010.