Assessment of Circulating B Cell Developmental Stages Early After Kidney Transplantation. Preliminary Data from a Single Center

A. Fouza¹, A. Fylaktou², A. Xohelli², E. Sampani³, B. Nikolaidou², D. Asouhidou², N. Antoniadis¹, E. Kasimatis³, M. Stangou³, G. Tsoulfas¹, A. Papagianni³

¹Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece, ²National Peripheral Histocompatibility Center, Immunology Department, Hippokration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece, ³Department of Nephrology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

Meeting: 2022 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: 1218

Keywords: B cells, Kidney transplantation

Topic: Basic Science » Basic Science » 04 - B-cell / Antibody /Autoimmunity

Session Information

Session Name: B-cell / Antibody /Autoimmunity

Session Type: Poster Abstract

Date: Monday, June 6, 2022

Session Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm

Presentation Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm

Location: Hynes Halls C & D

*Purpose: B lymphocytes (BL) is an important immune component in the function of kidney transplants, through antibody production, antigen-presentation to T cells, secretion of cytokines, co-stimulation and regulatory action, with no clear impact on transplant outcome so far. In this study, phenotypic changes of BL and its subtypes were assessed to associate them with graft function early post transplantation.

*Methods: The study population included 24 patients (Male / Female: 17/7, aged 49 ± 12.2 years old) who received kidney allografts, 17 cadaveric (CD) and 7 from a living donor (LD). Circulating BL subsets, analysed by multicolor immunophenotyping using flow cytometry, at the time of transplantation (T0) and 3 months after (T3), were defined as follows: Total BL (CD19+), naive BL (CD19+IgD+CD27-), memory BL (CD19+IgD-/+CD27+), BL regulators (Bregs): Bregs memory (CD19+CD24++CD27++), Bregs trantitional: (CD19+CD24++CD38++) plasmablasts with class switching (CD19+IgD-CD27+CD38++), plasmablasts with no class switching (CD19+IgD+CD27+CD38+), transitional BL (CD19+CD27-IgD+CD24+CD38++).

*Results: An increase in cell numbers of total BL in T3 compared to T0 was observed [T0: 99(41-173) to T3:132(73-183) cells/μL, p = 0.019]. At the same time points T0 and T3, the memory Bregs showed a significant increase in cell number, from: 3 (1-8) to: 20(12-32) cells/μL, p=0.002, and the memory BLs an increase from 16 (9-22) to 26 (14-34) cells/μL, p = 0.025. There was significant difference in memory Bregs at T3 in LD group compared to CD (66±39 vs. 17±15cells/μL, p=0.025).No statistically significant changes were observed in the remaining BL populations examined. All study patients have eGFR within acceptable range.

*Conclusions: Preliminary data from the study conducted at a single transplantation center showed that there is improvement of BL number a trimester after renal transplantation, with a significant improvement in the regulatory arm of humoral immunity, which was evident mainly in patients undergoing LR.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Fouza A, Fylaktou A, Xohelli A, Sampani E, Nikolaidou B, Asouhidou D, Antoniadis N, Kasimatis E, Stangou M, Tsoulfas G, Papagianni A. Assessment of Circulating B Cell Developmental Stages Early After Kidney Transplantation. Preliminary Data from a Single Center [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2022; 22 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/assessment-of-circulating-b-cell-developmental-stages-early-after-kidney-transplantation-preliminary-data-from-a-single-center/. Accessed May 18, 2025.

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