Recent advances in renal transplantation: antibody-mediated rejection takes center stage.

ABSTRACT: Overlooked for decades, antibodies have taken center stage in renal transplantation and are now widely recognized as the first cause of allograft failure. Diagnosis of antibody-mediated rejection has considerably improved with identification of antibody-mediated lesions in graft biopsies and advances made in the detection of circulating donor-specific antibodies. Unfortunately, this progress has not yet translated into better outcomes for patients. Indeed, in the absence of a drug able to suppress antibody generation by plasma cells, available therapies can only slow down graft destruction. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of antibody-mediated rejection and discusses future interesting research directions.

SUBMITTER: Pouliquen E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4447042 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature