Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.1.3.16 (calcineurin)
17,112 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The PBj14 isolate of the simian immunodeficiency virus SIVsmmPBj14 is unique among primate lentiviruses in its ability to induce lymphocyte proliferation and acutely lethal disease. The studies reported here show that viral induction of T-cell proliferation requires accessory cells, such as primary monocytes or Raji B-lymphoma cells, as well as the presence of a putative immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif within the viral Nef protein. Addition of CTLA4-immunoglobulin fusion protein or anti-B7 antibodies to virally infected T cells led to substantial, but not complete, inhibition of monocyte-costimulated T-cell proliferation-suggesting that both CD28/B7-dependent and non-CD28-dependent pathways may contribute to the costimulation of virally induced lymphoproliferation. Finally, cyclosporin A, a specific inhibitor of the calcium-calmodulin-regulated phosphatase activity of calcineurin, which influences activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells, was shown to block virally mediated T-cell proliferation. Taken together, these findings suggest that the effect of SIVsmmPBj14 on T-cell activation may be functionally analogous, at least in part, to the effect of engagement of the T-cell receptor.
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PMID:Costimulatory pathways in lymphocyte proliferation induced by the simian immunodeficiency virus SIVsmmPBj14. 962 Oct 81

The development of immunosuppressive agents reflects the progress in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms which mediate allograft rejection. Six paradigms represent the evolution of immunosuppressive strategies for organ transplantation. The proliferation paradigm advances agents which interrupt lymphocyte cell division (azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolic acid). The depletion paradigm conscripts drugs that bind to lymphocyte cell surface markers, thereby producing cell lysis and/or inactivation (polyclonal ATGAM and thymoglobulin, and monoclonal OKT3 antilymphocyte antibodies). The cytokine paradigm uses agents that interrupt lymphocyte maturational events; eg, synthesis (calcineurin inhibitors: cyclosporine/tacrolimus), binding to surface receptors (anti-CD25 mAbs), or signal transduction phases of cytokine stimulation (sirolimus). The introduction of calcineurin inhibitors markedly reduces the rate of acute rejection episodes and increases short-term graft survival rates; nephrotoxicity and chronic allograft attrition remain as unanswered challenges. The cyclosporine A (CsA) sparing property of sirolimus permits the use of lower exposure to calcineurin agents, allows for early withdrawal of steroid therapy, and may delay allograft senescence. Furthermore, the combination of SRL with anti-IL-2R mAbs proffers an induction approach which allows prolonged periods of holiday from calcineurin inhibitors. To address the tissue nonselectivity of the calcineurin and mTOR inhibitors, which presumably causes the drug toxicities, new agents are being developed to selectively inhibit the T cell target Janus Kinase 3. In the costimulation paradigm, the accessory signals generated by antigen-presenting cells are interrupted by distinct agents: the receptor conjugate CTLA4-immunoglobulin and anti-B7 or anti-CD40 ligand mAbs. Another set of drugs (selectin blocking agents, anti-ICAM-1 antisense deoxy oligonucleotides, and the lymphocyte homing inhibitor FTY720) seeks to modulate the ischemia-reperfusion injury, which exacerbates cytokine-mediated events in the donor and the subsequent procurement injury and may also accelerate the progression of transplant senescence. Finally, the transplantation tolerance paradigm is based on the development of strategies which distort alloimmune recognition by antigen reactive cells (MHC peptides or proteins), produce anergy (costimulation blockers), functional inactivation, or deletion of antigen-reactive cells (donor bone marrow infusions and gene therapy). Presently, the optimal immunosuppressive strategy uses combinations of agents that act in synergistic fashion to provide the potency, freedom from toxic reactions, convenience of administration, and cost appropriate for the individual patient.
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PMID:Immunosuppressive agents in organ transplantation: past, present, and future. 1074 55

There is increasing evidence that ongoing T-cell recognition of alloantigen and activation are key mediators of chronic allograft rejection. The CD28-B7 pathway is unique among costimulatory pathways in that two alternate ligands for B7 exist: CD28 and CTLA4. Recently, it has been suggested that CTLA4 negative signaling may be required for induction of acquired tolerance in vivo. A strategy by which the T cell is targeted at the CD28 receptor rather than its ligands would theoretically allow the inhibitory functions of the CTLA4-B7-1/2 axis to remain intact. Using a rat-specific monoclonal antibody, we investigated the effect of targeting CD28 in a model of chronic rejection without the confounding variable of immunosuppression. We also used an acute cardiac allograft rejection model to investigate CD28 stimulation-based strategies to induce donor-specific tolerance. We demonstrated that anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody was as effective as CTLA4 immunoglobulin in protecting against chronic allograft vasculopathy. In addition, a short course of cyclosporine therapy synergized with either anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody or CTLA4 immunoglobulin, suggesting that it may be clinically relevant to combine low-dose calcineurin inhibitors with CTLA4 immunoglobulin or anti-B7 antibodies. Finally, we report on the potential mechanisms of action of targeting CD28 in vivo.
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PMID:Mechanisms of targeting CD28 by a signaling monoclonal antibody in acute and chronic allograft rejection. 1198 27

Protocols for islet transplantation have to take into account the diabetogenicity/islet toxicity of the immunosuppressive agents, namely corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors, most notably tacrolimus. The development by the Edmonton group of a sirolimus-based, steroid-free, low-tacrolimus regimen was a significant breakthrough that allowed the rate of insulin independence after islet transplantation to increase from 13% to 80% at 1 year. Drawbacks include the side effects of sirolimus and the reduction in insulin independence to 50% at 3 years, the latter being attributed to prolonged tacrolimus exposure. Currently explored alternatives to tacrolimus include cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, and the novel agent FTY 720. Perspectives for the near future involve the achievement of "prope tolerance" by strategies using lymphocyte-depleting antibodies (anti-thymocyte globulin, campath-1H, hOKT3gamma1 [ala,ala]), or costimulatory blockade (anti-CD154 mAbs, CTLA4-Ig).
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PMID:Immunosuppression for pancreatic islet transplantation. 1504 69

Blockade of T-cell costimulatory pathways has proven to be a useful approach in inhibiting allograft rejection and/or inducing tolerance in some experimental models of transplantation, and clinical development of B7 blockade by CTLA4-Ig in kidney transplant recipients is under way. Although calcineurin inhibitors are clinically effective immunosuppressive agents in their own right, conflicting findings have been reported as to whether concomitant use of these drugs with costimulatory blockade has a beneficial or adverse effect on preventing rejection and promoting long-term allograft survival or transplant tolerance. Here, we summarize the current understanding of the interaction between calcineurin inhibitors and T-cell costimulatory blockade strategies in transplantation.
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PMID:The antagonism of calcineurin inhibitors and costimulatory blockers: fact or fiction? 1504 7

Current success in organ transplantation is dependent upon the use of calcineurin-inhibitor-based immunosuppressive regimens. Unfortunately, current immunotherapy targets molecules with ubiquitous expression resulting in devastating non-immune side effects. T-cell costimulation has been identified as a new potential immunosuppressive target. The best characterized pathway includes CD28, its homologue CTLA4 and their ligands CD80 and CD86. While an immunoglobulin fusion protein construct of CTLA4 suppressed rejection in rodents, it lacked efficacy in primate transplant models. In an attempt to increase the biologic potency of the parent molecule a novel, modified version of CTLA4-Ig, LEA29Y (belatacept), was constructed. Two amino acid substitutions (L104E and A29Y) gave rise to slower dissociation rates for both CD86 and CD80. The increased avidity resulted in a 10-fold increase in potency in vitro and significant prolongation of renal allograft survival in a pre-clinical primate model. The use of immunoselective biologics may provide effective maintenance immunosuppression while avoiding the collateral toxicities associated with conventional immunsuppressants.
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PMID:Rational development of LEA29Y (belatacept), a high-affinity variant of CTLA4-Ig with potent immunosuppressive properties. 1570 94

Recent immunosuppressive drugs, including mycophenolate mofetil and basiliximab in addition to calcineurin inhibitors, have reduced the incidence and severity of acute allograft rejection in kidney transplants. This article introduces newly developed agents such as CTLA4-Ig, LEA29Y, rituximab, and FTY720 and also reviews immunosuppressive protocols which withdraw steroid or calcineurin inhibitors. Unrelated or ABO incompatible living donor kidney transplants have increased due to advancement of immunosuppressive
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PMID:[Renal transplantation]. 1627 58

De novo posttransplant thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a complication of solid organ transplantation, which remains difficult to treat. In many cases, immunosuppressants and particularly calcineurin inhibitors, trigger TMA. Although withdrawing the offending drug may lead to resolution of TMA, graft and patient outcomes are poor. Specific treatments, including plasma exchange, have not gained widespread acceptance in those with fulminant disease and new approaches to the condition are urgently needed. We report a case of posttransplant de novo TMA presenting serially in association with ciclosporin, tacrolimus and sirolimus in a young recipient of a living donor kidney transplant. We describe a patient treated with belatacept, a novel CTLA4 Ig fusion protein, as ongoing maintenance immunosuppression to allow avoidance of conventional agents once associated with TMA. We report excellent early graft outcome, with no adverse events using this strategy. We suggest that belatacept may have a role in this traditionally difficult-to-treat group of patients.
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PMID:Belatacept as maintenance immunosuppression for postrenal transplant de novo drug-induced thrombotic microangiopathy. 1912 84

CTLA4-Ig (Belatacept) is a new recombinant molecule that interferes with the signal of T lymphocyte activation and prevents acute rejection after renal transplantation. HLA-G acts as a naturally tolerogenic molecule in humans. In this study, we analyzed whether HLA-G contributes to CTLA4-Ig-mediated graft acceptance. Our results demonstrate that patients treated with CTLA4-Ig displayed significantly higher soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) plasma concentrations (72 +/- 14 ng/ml) than patients treated with calcineurin inhibitors (5 +/- 1 ng/ml) or healthy donors (5 +/- 5 ng/ml). Notably, sHLA-G purified from plasma of CTLA4-Ig-treated patients was biologically active as it inhibited allogeneic T cell proliferation in vitro. Dendritic cells (DC) were identified as one of the cellular sources of sHLA-G in CTLA4-Ig-treated patients. Supporting this observation, we showed that DC generated in vitro in presence of CTLA4-Ig released sHLA-G in response to allostimulation. These CTLA4-Ig-treated DC acted as tolerogenic APC through sHLA-G secretion as they suppressed T cell alloproliferation, which could be restored by using a neutralizing anti-HLA-G Ab. These data define a novel pathway by which CTLA4-Ig immunomodulates allogenic response through posttranscriptional regulation of HLA-G expression in DC. CTLA4-Ig-mediated HLA-G release appears as a critical factor in T cell alloresponse inhibition, thereby contributing to the immunosuppressive effect and graft acceptance.
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PMID:Dendritic cells secrete the immunosuppressive HLA-G molecule upon CTLA4-Ig treatment: implication in human renal transplant acceptance. 1991 57

Induction therapy refers to the initiation of intense immunosuppression in the initial days after transplantation when the recipient's immune system contacts donor antigens for the first time. Induction therapy may also be used to permit delayed initiation of calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) for maintenance immunosuppression among patients with significant renal failure (RF). The rationale of its use is to provide intensive immunosuppression at the time when the alloimmune response is most intense. In general, induction therapy can be divided into 2 categories: depleting antibodies (eg, polyclonal antibodies [horse or rabbit antithymocyte globulin], anti-CD3 antibodies [OKT3], and human monoclonal anti-CD52 [alentuzumab]) and nondepleting antibodies (eg, anti-CD25 antibodies [daclizumab, basiliximab] or fusion proteins with natural binding properties currently being studied, eg, CTLA4-Ig [belatacept]). The advantages and disadvantages of induction therapy are discussed.
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PMID:Controversies about induction therapy. 2183 91


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