CC-chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) is expressed on the surface of naive T cells, and plays a critical role in their movement into secondary lymphoid tissue. Here, we show that murine T cells lacking CCR7 (CCR7(-/-)) generate attenuated graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) responses compared with wild-type (WT) cells, with the difference varying inversely with the degree of major histocompatibility comp...

Platelet transfusions from donors selectively mismatched for cross-reactive and certain non-cross-reactive HLA antigens were found to be more effective in HLA-A2 negative than in HLA-A2 positive, alloimmunized thrombocytopenic patients. The two groups of patients responded equally well to platelets matched for antigens of the HLA-A and B loci. Certain alloimmunized patients negative for HLA-A2 ...

Umbilical cord-blood (UCB) is a well-recognized alternative source of stem cells for unrelated donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). As compared with other stem cell sources from adult donors, it has the advantages of immediate availability of cells, absence of risk to the donor and reduced risk of graft-versus-host disease despite donor-recipient HLA disparity. However, the use...

Research into risk communication has commonly highlighted the disparity between the meaning intended by the communicator and what is understood by the recipient. Such miscommunications will have implications for perceived trust and expertise of the communicator, but it is not known whether this differs according to the communication format. We examined the effect of using verbal, numerical and ...

Cross-tolerization of T lymphocytes after apoptotic cell uptake by dendritic cells may be involved in self-tolerance maintenance. Furthermore, immunosuppressive properties are attributed to apoptotic cells. This study evaluated the consequences of apoptotic leukocyte administration in a restrictive engraftment model of murine bone marrow (BM) transplantation. Sublethally irradiated recipients r...

OBJECTIVES This study sought to assess the incidence of transplant coronary artery disease (CAD) in Chinese heart recipients. BACKGROUND The prevalence of transplant CAD detected by angiography at 1, 2 and 4 years after heart transplantation was 11%, 22% and 45%, respectively. The incidence of transplant CAD in Chinese heart recipients has not been reported. METHODS For those recipients sur...

We have examined the alleles of eleven minor histocompatibility antigens (MiHAs) and investigated the occurrence of immunogenic MiHA disparities in 62 recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) with myeloablative conditioning performed between 2000 and 2008 and in their HLA-matched sibling donors. Immunogenic MiHA mismatches were detected in 42 donor-recipient pairs:...

A 17-year-old boywith bilateral bronchiectasis was admitted for bilateral lung transplantation (BLTx). Chest radiography (CXR) demonstrated localized right pneumothorax, diffuse bronchiectasis with fibrosis, and a large bullous formation of the bilateral lungs (Fig. 1A), as well as severe thoracic kyphosis, a long-term consequence of maintaining his sitting posture in bed (Fig. 1B). Although th...

Histocompatibility in transplantation is governed by the products of the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) genes encoded within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on chromosome 6p21. HLA antigens define tissue type and are inherited en bloc in classical Mendelian fashion. Genotypically identical siblings inherit the same paternal and maternal chromosome 6. Haploidentical relatives share one...

Penetrating keratoplasty (PK) has emerged as a relatively safe means of restoring vision in corneal opacities and irregularities. Astigmatism is the most common cause of suboptimal vision after corneal transplantation despite a clear corneal graft.1,2 Based on several studies,3615%–31% of patients undergoing PK may develop postoperative astigmatism greater than 5 diopters (D). The astigmatism c...