Pathogens Infections and Immunity in Solid Organ Transplants (SOT)

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Immunological Responses and Immune Defense Mechanisms".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 3916

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Medical Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University, D 55131 Mainz, Germany
Interests: visceral organ transplantation; transplant immunology

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Head of Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation, Klinikum Hann. Münden, Hann. Münden, Germany
Interests: transplant immunology; viral infections and transplantation, especially Hepatitis C

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The focus of this Special Issue, to be published in Pathogens, is infections and immunity in solid organ transplantation. It has become apparent since the SARS CoV-2 pandemic that patients with immunosuppression due to solid organ transplantation should be acknowledged as a very special group of patients. Immunosuppression not only has an impact on the success of prevention strategies (e.g., vaccination), but also on the course of diseases and the treatment (e.g., drug interactions).

The scope of this Special Issue should not only discuss the latest findings related to SARS CoV-2 in SOT, but also long known, but still evident, infectious diseases, such as CMV or hepatitis C. It should also focus on the immunological mechanisms of infections themselves, as well as on the prevention and treatment of infections in SOT patients.

We hope that this Special Issue will provide you with an actual overview of the mechanisms, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in SOT patients.

Prof. Dr. Martina Koch
Prof. Dr. Ute Eisenberger
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • solid organ transplantation
  • infection
  • vaccination
  • immunosuppression
  • COVID-19
  • CMV
  • hepatitis

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1221 KiB  
Article
The Cellular and Humoral Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 Messenger RNA Vaccines Is Significantly Better in Liver Transplant Patients Compared with Kidney Transplant Patients
by Anja Lautem, Simone Cosima Boedecker-Lips, Elisa Schneider, Stefan Runkel, Christina Feist, Hauke Lang, Julia Weinmann-Menke and Martina Koch
Pathogens 2023, 12(7), 910; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12070910 - 5 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1256
Abstract
Patients after organ transplantation have impaired immune response after vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. So far, published studies have reported quite different response rates to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, ranging from 15–79% in liver and kidney transplant recipients. Up to one year after the first [...] Read more.
Patients after organ transplantation have impaired immune response after vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. So far, published studies have reported quite different response rates to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, ranging from 15–79% in liver and kidney transplant recipients. Up to one year after the first vaccine dose, we analyzed the humoral and cellular immune response of 21 liver transplant (LTX) patients after vaccination with mRNA vaccines compared with 28 kidney transplant (KTX) patients. We evaluated IgG against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as well as SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells using an ELISpot assay that detected IFN-γ- and/or IL-2-expressing T cells. We found a cellular and/or humoral immune response in 100% of the LTX patients compared with 68% of the KTX patients. Antibody titers against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 were significantly higher in the LTX group, and significantly more LTX patients had detectable specific IL-2-producing T cells. The immunosuppression applied in our LTX cohort was lower compared with the KTX cohort (14% triple therapy in LTX patients vs. 79% in KTX patients). One year after the first vaccination, breakthrough infections could be detected in 41% of all organ transplant patients. None of those patients suffered from a severe course of COVID-19 disease, indicating that a partial vaccination response seemed to offer protection to immunosuppressed patients. The better immune response of LTX patients after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination might be due to less intense immunosuppressive therapy compared with KTX patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogens Infections and Immunity in Solid Organ Transplants (SOT))
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20 pages, 1014 KiB  
Article
CC Genotype of GNAS c.393C>T (rs7121) Polymorphism Has a Protective Effect against Development of BK Viremia and BKV-Associated Nephropathy after Renal Transplant
by Tobias Peitz, Birte Möhlendick, Ute Eisenberger, Winfried Siffert, Falko Markus Heinemann, Andreas Kribben and Justa Friebus-Kardash
Pathogens 2022, 11(10), 1138; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11101138 - 1 Oct 2022
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Abstract
The GNAS gene encodes the alpha-subunit of the stimulatory G-protein (Gαs) in humans and mice. The single-nucleotide polymorphism of GNAS, c.393C>T, is associated with an elevated production of Gαs and an increased formation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). In the present study, [...] Read more.
The GNAS gene encodes the alpha-subunit of the stimulatory G-protein (Gαs) in humans and mice. The single-nucleotide polymorphism of GNAS, c.393C>T, is associated with an elevated production of Gαs and an increased formation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). In the present study, we analyzed the effect of this GNAS polymorphism on a renal allograft outcome. We screened a cohort of 436 renal allograft recipients, who were retrospectively followed up for up to 5 years after transplant. GNAS genotypes were determined with polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assays. The 393T allele was detected in 319 (73%) recipients (113 recipients with TT and 206 with CT genotype) and the CC genotype in 117 (27%). The CC genotype was associated with a significantly lower frequency of BK viremia (CC, 17 recipients (15%); T 84 (26%)); p = 0.01; TT, 27 vs. CC, 17, p = 0.07; TT, 27 vs. CT, 57, p = 0. 46; CT, 57 vs. CC, 17, p = 0.01) and BKV-associated nephropathy (CC, 3 recipients (3%); T, 27 (8%); p = 0.03; TT,10 vs. CC, 3, p = 0.04; TT, 10 vs. CT,17, p = 0.85; CT, 17 vs. CC,3, p = 0.04) after transplant. BKV-associated nephropathy-free survival was significantly better among CC genotype carriers than among T allele carriers (p = 0.043; TT vs. CC, p = 0.03; CT vs. CC, p = 0.04; TT vs. CT, p = 0.83). Multivariate analysis indicated an independent protective effect of the CC genotype against the development of both BK viremia (relative risk. 0.54; p = 0.04) and BKV-associated nephropathy after renal transplant (relative risk. 0.27; p = 0.036). The GNAS 393 CC genotype seems to protect renal allograft recipients against the development of BK viremia and BKV-associated nephropathy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogens Infections and Immunity in Solid Organ Transplants (SOT))
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