Impact of T Lymphocytes Isolated from Liver Perfusate of Deceased Brain Donors on Kidney Transplantation: Preliminary Evidence and Future Directions.

BACKGROUND: Ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI), acute rejection (AR), and delayed graft function (DGF) might occur as major complications following kidney transplantation. Thus, the identification of biomarkers for the IRI, AR, and/or DGF development becomes crucial as it may help to guide post-transplant management. Natural killer (NK) cells, hepatic interstitial T-lymphocytes (T-Li), and NK-T cells are crucial in both innate and adaptive immunity after abdominal solid organ transplantation. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the immune system after graft reperfusion during KT in adults in order to identify predictive biomarkers. METHODS: The NK, T-Li, and NK-T phenotypes and concentrations were retrospectively analyzed in a consecutive series of liver perfusates obtained after organ procurement flushing the abdominal cavity recovered from deceased brain donors (DBDs). Their percentage was compared with the renal transplant recipients' characteristics with kidneys taken from the same DCDs. The hepatic perfusate cells were purified by density gradient centrifugation. Flow cytometric investigation was used to determine their phenotype with the following immunological markers in order to determine the relative percentage of T-Li, NK-T, and NK cells: CD3, CD4, CD8, and CD56. RESULTS: 42 DBDs' liver perfusates were analyzed. The related clinical outcomes of kidney transplant recipients from 2010 to 2020 performed at our Institute were evaluated. Time in days of delayed functional recovery of transplanted kidneys (DGF) (p = 0.02) and the onset of secondary infection from a cytomegalovirus (p = 0.03) were significantly associated with the T-Li percentage. An increased relative risk (HR) of organ survival was significantly associated with the percent cell concentration of T-Li and time to DGF, on COX analysis, were (HR = 1.038, p = 0.04; and HR = 1.029, p = 0.01, respectively). None relevant clinical outcomes in kidney transplant patients were associated with the specificity of the NK and NK-T cell proportions. CONCLUSIONS: A new potential role of T-Li cells was detected in the context of hepatic perfusate from DBDs. It could detect potential impacts in organ allocation, surgical procuring techniques, and in the analysis of IRI pathophysiological events.

Malassezia restricta Pneumonia in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: First Report of Two Cases.

Emerging fungal infections are a major challenge in solid organ transplantation (SOT) and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. We report two cases of Malassezia restricta pneumonia in SOT recipients. Infections were diagnosed with molecular analysis and histology. Patients were treated with antifungal therapy and have fully recovered.

[Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on kidney transplantation: focus on the Sicilian experience].

The COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has rapidly changed hospital structures in our country, radically modifying clinical activity. Nephrology, and kidney transplant in particular, has been heavily influenced by it, with a reduced number of organ donations and, consequently, transplantations. Here we report the data on kidney transplants in our region, Sicily, for the period 2019-July 2021, and we analyze the effects of the pandemic.

Are there any relations among transplant centre volume, surgical technique and anatomy for donor graft selection? Ten-year multicentric Italian experience on mini-invasive living donor nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Selection of the right or left living donor kidney for transplantation is influenced by many variables. In the present multi centric study including 21 Italian transplant centres, we evaluated whether centre volume or surgical technique may influence the selection process. METHODS: Intra- and perioperative donor data, donor kidney function, and recipient and graft survival were collected among 693 mini-invasive living donor nephrectomies performed from 2002 to 2014. Centre volume (LOW, 1-50 cases; HIGH, >50 cases) and surgical technique (FULL-LAP, full laparoscopic and robotic; HA-LAP, hand-assisted laparoscopy; MINI-OPEN, mini-lumbotomy) were correlated with selection of right or left donor kidney and with donor and recipient outcome. RESULTS: HIGH-volume centres retrieved a higher rate of donor right kidneys (29.3% versus 17.6%, P < 0.01) with single artery (83.1% versus 76.4%, P < 0.05) compared with LOW-volume centres. Surgical technique correlated significantly with rate of donor right kidney and presence of multiple arteries: MINI-OPEN (53% and 13%) versus HA-LAP (29% and 22%) versus FULL-LAP (11% and 23%), P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively. All donors had an uneventful outcome; donor bleeding was more frequent in LOW-volume centres (4% versus 0.9%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Centre volume and surgical technique influenced donor kidney side selection. Donor nephrectomy in LOW-volume centres was associated with higher risk of donor bleeding.

Glycaemic variability and inflammation in subjects with metabolic syndrome.

Subjects who develop diabetes have an increased cardiovascular risk even before the appearance of diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the glycaemic variability measured by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM CV%) in nondiabetic subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS) and to explore if glycaemic variability was associated with circulating levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a proinflammatory cytokine, or with an anti-inflammatory factor like adiponectin. Three groups of obese subjects with (MS+: 6m, 8f; BMI 33.1+/-1.4 mean+/-SEM) or without metabolic syndrome (MS-: 2m, 4f; BMI 29.2+/-2.2) and with MS associated with type 2 diabetes (MS/T2D: 3m, 5f; BMI 32.9+/-1.4) were investigated. The glycaemic variability was measured in all subjects in terms of CV% of the glycaemic values obtained every 3 min during the course of a 48 h CGM performed using a subcutaneous glucose sensor. The average CGM CV% increased from MS- group (21.1%) to the MS+ group (23.9%) and to the MS+/T2D group (27.4%) but it was not correlated to the CGM mean glycaemia (r=0.20; P=ns). In some instances, CGM CV% was found higher in MS+ subjects than in some MS+ T2D ones. Stepwise multiple correlation analysis showed that IL-6 predicted CGM CV% (R(2)=0.35, beta=0.13; P<0.05) independently from BMI, waist circumference, adiponectin and insulin concentrations. In conclusion, the CGM CV% may contribute to better describe the individual metabolic state and to understand the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction in non diabetic subjects with MS.