Open AccessThe CD8 T‐cell response during tolerance induction in liver transplantation
Author(s) -
Wong Yik Chun,
McCaughan Geoffrey W,
Bowen David G,
Bertolino Patrick
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
clinical and translational immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.321
H-Index - 34
ISSN - 2050-0068
DOI - 10.1038/cti.2016.53
Subject(s) - cd8 , liver transplantation , cytotoxic t cell , immunology , immune tolerance , major histocompatibility complex , immune system , t cell , transplantation , biology , medicine , in vitro , genetics
Both experimental and clinical studies have shown that the liver possesses unique tolerogenic properties. Liver allografts can be spontaneously accepted across complete major histocompatibility mismatch in some animal models. In addition, some liver transplant patients can be successfully withdrawn from immunosuppressive medications, developing ‘operational tolerance’. Multiple mechanisms have been shown to be involved in inducing and maintaining alloimmune tolerance associated with liver transplantation. Here, we focus on CD8 T‐cell tolerance in this setting. We first discuss how alloreactive cytotoxic T‐cell responses are generated against allografts, before reviewing how the liver parenchyma, donor passenger leucocytes and the host immune system function together to attenuate alloreactive CD8 T‐cell responses to promote the long‐term survival of liver transplants.