Dynamics of minor T-lymphocyte subpopulations in patients undergoing kidney transplantation

Abstract

Objective: to study the dynamics of the indicators of CD3+CD4+CD8+double-positive and CD3+CD4-CD8- double-negative T-lymphocytes in patients who underwent kidney transplantation. Material and methods. Three groups were formed out of 197 allograft recipients. PGF group consisted of patients with primary satisfactory graft function. PGD group - with primary graft dysfunction. GR group - with primary graft dysfunction and histologically confirmed graft rejection. We studied the CD3+CD4+CD8+ (DP) and CD3+CD4-CD8- (DN) T-lymphocyte levels before the transplantation, and on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 30th, and 90th days after the transplantation. Results. Within a month after the transplantation we noted a decrease in the relative DN T-lymphocyte level in the PGF group, while in the PGD and GR groups this indicator significantly increased. By the 90th day, the count of DN T-lymphocytes had remained unchanged in the PGD group, while there had been a statistically significant increase of this subpopulation in the PGF group. The absolute counts of DN T-lymphocytes in the PGF group on the 1st and 7th days were lower than in the GR group. On the 90th day, there was no statistically significant difference in the absolute number of DN T-lymphocytes in the recipient groups. In all the groups, there was a decrease in the number of DP T-lymphocytes on the 1st day, however, in the PGF group, the relative level was significantly higher. This tendency retained for 3 months. There were no statistically significant differences between the PGD and GR groups. The absolute number of DP T-lymphocytes in the PGF group during the entire observation period was significantly higher than in the PGD and GR groups. Conclusion. We noted a decrease in the indicators of DN T-lymphocytes in the PGF group associated with the increase in the DP T-lymphocyte level within the first three months. In the PGD and GR groups, an increase in the DN T-lymphocyte level was revealed due to a decrease in the indicators of DP T-lymphocytes within 90 days after transplantation.