Rejection of the liver transplant.
Journal Article (Journal Article;Review)
Although the transplanted human liver is susceptible to rejection with a similar incidence of rejection as seen with renal allografts, the liver enjoys many immunological benefits relative to other transplanted organs. These include relative resistance to antibody-mediated injury, low frequency of chronic rejection, relatively easy reversibility of acute rejection, and even reversibility of chronic rejection. The reasons for the liver's favored status from an immunological perspective are unclear but are perhaps multifactorial. Currently used clinical protocols of immunosuppression for liver transplantation rely principally on the calcineurin inhibitors, cyclosporine and FK-506. Steroid withdrawal at variable periods after liver transplantation is becoming increasingly common. Compared with other organ transplants, relatively few human liver transplants are lost because of rejection. The transplanted liver may be an appropriate target for tolerance studies.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Knechtle, SJ
Published Date
- July 1998
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 9 / 3
Start / End Page
- 126 - 135
PubMed ID
- 9700843
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 1049-5118
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States