Donor immune reconstitution after liver-small bowel transplantation for multiple intestinal atresia with immunodeficiency

Blood. 2004 Feb 1;103(3):1171-4. doi: 10.1182/blood-2003-04-1187. Epub 2003 Oct 2.

Abstract

The syndrome of multiple intestinal atresia with immunodeficiency is a rare, invariably fatal congenital disorder. At 16 months of age, a child with this syndrome underwent liver-small bowel transplantation from a 1-of-6 HLA-matched donor. He acquired full enteral tolerance and normal liver function and has never shown evidence of allograft rejection. After mild graft-versus-host disease developed, studies revealed that more than 99% of his CD3(+) lymphocytes and 50% of his CD19(+) lymphocytes were of donor origin, whereas granulocytes and monocytes remained of recipient origin. He synthesizes polyclonal immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, and IgM and has developed antibodies to cytomegalovirus (CMV) and parainfluenza 3. His T lymphocytes are predominately CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) with T-cell receptor gammadelta heterodimers and CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(+) with CD8alphaalpha homodimers, populations consistent with an intraepithelial lymphocyte phenotypic profile. We postulate that he has engrafted a donor intestine-derived immune system and is incapable of rejecting his engrafted organs.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / etiology
  • Graft Survival
  • Graft vs Host Disease / etiology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulins / biosynthesis
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / immunology
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / surgery*
  • Infant
  • Intestinal Atresia / immunology
  • Intestinal Atresia / surgery*
  • Intestine, Small / transplantation*
  • Liver Transplantation*
  • Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • Male
  • Tissue Donors

Substances

  • Immunoglobulins