Alloimmunisation to donor antigens and immune rejection following foetal neural grafts to the brain in patients with Huntington's disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The brain is deemed "immunologically privileged" due to sparse professional antigen-presenting cells and lymphatic drainage, and to the blood-brain barrier. Although the actual extent of this privilege is controversial, there is general consensus about the limited need in intracerebral neural grafts for immunosuppressive regimens comparable to those used in other cases of allotransplantation. This has led over the past fifteen years to the use of either short-term or even no immunosuppression in most clinical trials with foetal neural transplant in patients with Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.

Methodology/principal findings

We report biological demonstration of alloimmunisation without signs of rejection in four grafted patients out of 13 studied during the

SUBMITTER: Krystkowiak P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1764859 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature