Immunological Challenges in Vascularised Composite Allotransplantation

Abstract Vascularised composite allotransplantation (VCA) is a new field in transplantation aiming to improve disabled patients’ quality of life. Two tissues appear to play an important role in the immune response: the skin, which is highly immunogenic and the main target of T-lymphocyte-mediated acute rejection, and the vessels, which are targeted by the humoral arm of recipient’s immune response, which lead to chronic rejection, as in solid organ transplantation. In preclinical models, transplantation of bone marrow is associated with mixed chimerism inducing and maintaining tolerance to allogeneic VCA. However, this is not the case clinically. Immunosuppression used in VCA patients is similar to that in solid organ transplantation with similar side effects and complications. However, as a life-enhancing transplant, the careful selection of recipients and a close follow-up cannot be overemphasised.
Source: Current Transplantation Reports - Category: Transplant Surgery Source Type: research