Impact of Rituximab (RTx) Induction and Living Donation on Immunoregulation and Virus Control in Renal Transplantation

Summary

This project comprises immunological and virological analyses within a prospective clinical study of Rituximab (Rtx)-treated blood group incompatible living donor (LD) renal transplant recipients compared to blood group compatible LD recipients without Rtx induction, and of living donor compared to deceased donor renal transplant recipients treated with tacrolimus (Tacr)/mycophenolate sodium (MPS). Aim of this project is to assess short- and long-term effects of immunosuppressive therapy (Rtx induction) and of living donation on immunological and histological parameters of graft outcome and on viral replication (BK virus (BKV), JC virus (JCV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein Barr virus (EBV)) with the potential to improve long-term graft outcome and to enable risk estimation of virus disease.

Timeline

Start

2010-01

Primary completion

2019-06-18

Completion

2019-06-18

Publications

• Background Hackstein H, Renner FC, Bohnert A, Nockher A, Frommer T, Bein G, Weimer R. Dendritic cell deficiency in the blood of kidney transplant patients on long-term immunosuppression: results of a prospective matched-cohort study. Am J Transplant. 2005 Dec;5(12):2945-53. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2005.01101.x.
• Background Sadeghi M, Daniel V, Weimer R, Wiesel M, Hergesell O, Opelz G. Differential early posttransplant cytokine responses in living and cadaver donor renal allografts. Transplantation. 2003 Apr 27;75(8):1351-5. doi: 10.1097/01.TP.0000063706.52369.ED.
• Background Staak A, Renner F, Suesal C, Dietrich H, Rainer L, Kamali-Ernst S, Ernst W, Padberg W, Opelz G, Weimer R. Immunoglobulin induction therapy in renal transplant recipients: Effects on immunoglobulin and regulatory antibody levels. Transplant Proc. 2006 Dec;38(10):3483-5. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2006.10.041.
• Background Weimer R, Melk A, Daniel V, Friemann S, Padberg W, Opelz G. Switch from cyclosporine A to tacrolimus in renal transplant recipients: impact on Th1, Th2, and monokine responses. Hum Immunol. 2000 Sep;61(9):884-97. doi: 10.1016/s0198-8859(00)00152-x.
• Background Weimer R, Mytilineos J, Feustel A, Preiss A, Daniel V, Grimm H, Wiesel M, Opelz G. Mycophenolate mofetil-based immunosuppression and cytokine genotypes: effects on monokine secretion and antigen presentation in long-term renal transplant recipients. Transplantation. 2003 Jun 27;75(12):2090-9. doi: 10.1097/01.TP.0000058808.37349.23.
• Background Weimer R, Staak A, Susal C, Streller S, Yildiz S, Pelzl S, Renner F, Dietrich H, Daniel V, Rainer L, Kamali-Ernst S, Ernst W, Padberg W, Opelz G. ATG induction therapy: long-term effects on Th1 but not on Th2 responses. Transpl Int. 2005 Feb;18(2):226-36. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-2277.2004.00047.x.
• Background Weimer R, Susal C, Yildiz S, Staak A, Pelzl S, Renner F, Dietrich H, Daniel V, Kamali-Ernst S, Ernst W, Padberg W, Opelz G. Post-transplant sCD30 and neopterin as predictors of chronic allograft nephropathy: impact of different immunosuppressive regimens. Am J Transplant. 2006 Aug;6(8):1865-74. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2006.01407.x. Epub 2006 Jun 9.
• Background Daniel V, Naujokat C, Sadeghi M, Renner FC, Weimer R, Opelz G. Association of high IFN-gamma plasma levels with low B-cell counts in renal transplant recipients with stable long-term graft function. Clin Transplant. 2010 Mar-Apr;24(2):281-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2009.01067.x. Epub 2009 Aug 27.
• Background Susal C, Dohler B, Opelz G. Graft-protective role of high pretransplantation IgA-anti-Fab autoantibodies: confirmatory evidence obtained in more than 4000 kidney transplants. The Collaborative Transplant Study. Transplantation. 2000 Apr 15;69(7):1337-40. doi: 10.1097/00007890-200004150-00021.
• Background Susal C, Pelzl S, Dohler B, Opelz G. Identification of highly responsive kidney transplant recipients using pretransplant soluble CD30. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2002 Jun;13(6):1650-6. doi: 10.1097/01.asn.0000014256.75920.5b.
• Weimer R, Karakizlis H, Renner F, Dietrich H, Daniel V, Susal C, Schuttler C, Kamper D, Leicht D, Worlen M, Milchsack K, Renner L, Stich M, Grone HJ, Hecker A, Horbelt R, Padberg W, Opelz G. Long-term compromised immune regulation after rituximab induction in blood group incompatible (ABOi) living-donor renal transplantation - 5 year results of a prospective pilot study. Front Immunol. 2025 Dec 12;16:1706158. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1706158. eCollection 2025.

Drugs

Indications

No indication recorded.