Development and clinical validity of a novel blood-based molecular biomarker for subclinical acute rejection following kidney transplant.

Noninvasive biomarkers are needed to monitor stable patients after kidney transplant (KT), because subclinical acute rejection (subAR), currently detectable only with surveillance biopsies, can lead to chronic rejection and graft loss. We conducted a multicenter study to develop a blood-based molecular biomarker for subAR using peripheral blood paired with surveillance biopsies and strict clinical phenotyping algorithms for discovery and validation. At a predefined threshold, 72% to 75% of KT recipients achieved a negative biomarker test correlating with the absence of subAR (negative predictive value: 78%-88%), while a positive test was obtained in 25% to 28% correlating with the presence of subAR (positive predictive value: 47%-61%). The clinical phenotype and biomarker independently and statistically correlated with a composite clinical endpoint (renal function, biopsy-proved acute rejection, ≥grade 2 interstitial fibrosis, and tubular atrophy), as well as with de novo donor-specific antibodies. We also found that <50% showed histologic improvement of subAR on follow-up biopsies despite treatment and that the biomarker could predict this outcome. Our data suggest that a blood-based biomarker that reduces the need for the indiscriminate use of invasive surveillance biopsies and that correlates with transplant outcomes could be used to monitor KT recipients with stable renal function, including after treatment for subAR, potentially improving KT outcomes.

Genomic biomarkers correlate with HLA-identical renal transplant tolerance.

The ability to achieve immunologic tolerance after transplantation is a therapeutic goal. Here, we report interim results from an ongoing trial of tolerance in HLA-identical sibling renal transplantation. The immunosuppressive regimen included alemtuzumab induction, donor hematopoietic stem cells, tacrolimus/mycophenolate immunosuppression converted to sirolimus, and complete drug withdrawal by 24 months post-transplantation. Recipients were considered tolerant if they had normal biopsies and renal function after an additional 12 months without immunosuppression. Of the 20 recipients enrolled, 10 had at least 36 months of follow-up after transplantation. Five of these 10 recipients had immunosuppression successfully withdrawn for 16-36 months (tolerant), 2 had disease recurrence, and 3 had subclinical rejection in protocol biopsies (nontolerant). Microchimerism disappeared after 1 year, and CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(-)FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells and CD19(+)IgD/M(+)CD27(-) B cells were increased through 5 years post-transplantation in both tolerant and nontolerant recipients. Immune/inflammatory gene expression pathways in the peripheral blood and urine, however, were differentially downregulated between tolerant and nontolerant recipients. In summary, interim results from this trial of tolerance in HLA-identical renal transplantation suggest that predictive genomic biomarkers, but not immunoregulatory phenotyping, may be able to discriminate tolerant from nontolerant patients.

HLA identical non-chimeric and HLA disparate chimeric renal transplant tolerance.

In this chapter, we describe studies on non-chimeric human leukocyte antigen (HLA) identical tolerance and chimeric HLA disparate tolerance brought about by infusions of hematopoietic stem cells from the renal donor (DHSC). In our HLA identical series, 4 DHSC infusions were administered during the first 9 months posttransplant in a highly immunoregulatory environment using alemtuzumab induction and rapid conversion from early tacrolimus to mycophenolate and sirolimus. This resulted in the generation of recipient T regulatory cells accompanied by genomic indicators, but only transient chimerism. Seven of the first 12 recipients have been immunosuppression-free between 1 1/2 - 4 years with transplant biopsies free of rejection one year after immunosuppression withdrawal. The HLAdisparate group was treated by non-myeloablative conditioning consisting of: 200cGy whole body irradiation; fludarabine; cyclophosphamide; and, perioperative infusion of a product termed FCRx that contained DHSC, T cells, and a unique fraction of bone marrow derived CD8+TCR-alphabeta-negative cells. Five of the first 8 subjects became 100% chimeric in the peripheral blood and have been immunosuppression-free for 2 to 4 years without graft-versus-host-disease and with normal function and transplant biopsies. An additional 12 recipients with shorter follow-up have had similar courses. Those with non-durable chimerism have not been able to have immunosuppression withdrawn but maintain normal renal transplant function. We conclude that non-HLA disparities in renal transplants between HLA identical pairs may not need durable chimerism to induce tolerance provided by DHSC and temporary immunosuppression supporting the development of regulatory T cells. However, more intense conditioning and infusion of FCRx leading to durable chimerism in the absence of graft versus host disease is necessary to induce tolerance in HLA disparate pairs.