Editorial Commentary: 2007 and 2008 Beaune Seminars in Transplantation Research

Abstract

The editors of Transplantation have been pleased and honored to publish the Beaune Seminars in Transplantation Research since their inception 8 years ago. Under the able organization and direction of guest editors, Patrick Hervé and Gérard Rifle, these seminars have been held each year in Beaune, France and have focused on tolerance induction in organ transplantation. This supplement contains the proceedings of the 7th and 8th Beaune Seminars held in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The 7th Beaune Seminar focused on the topic of possible applications of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in tolerance induction for both organ and hematopoietic cell transplantation. MSC are progenitors of multiple mesenchymal lineages, and although they exhibit certain immunologic properties that are not immunogenic. As noted by the guest editors, coinfusion of hematopoietic stem cells and MSC promotes rapid hematological reconstitution with reduced incidence of graft-versus-host disease suggesting a possible salutary effect of MSC on organ transplantation survival. This seminar examines the classification and functions of MSC, the production/preparation of MSC for potential cell therapy in the context of organ transplantation, and the possible approaches for measuring the impact of MSC on graft survival and tolerance induction. The 8th Beaune Seminar examines the many obstacles, which have been identified to inhibit the successful application of effective small animal tolerance protocols to large animals and humans. These hurdles include toxicities of conditioning regimens for bone marrow transplantation and associated graft-versus-host disease, donor reactive T-cell stimulation history and precursor frequency, the antagonistic effects of toll-like receptor signaling and bacterial infections on transplantation tolerance induction, and the presence of memory T cells as well as possible roles for tolerogenic dendritic cell-regulatory T-cell interaction and apoptotic cell-linked immunoregulation to facilitate tolerance induction. The guest editors also point out that additional hurdles to tolerance induction (relationships between innate and adaptive immunity, memory B cells, and long-lived plasma cells) will be examined in the 9th Beaume Seminar to be held in 2009. The editors of Transplantation believe that the information provided in this supplement will be of significant interest and use to our readers as the transplantation community begins to investigate clinical application of tolerance protocols and aggressive implementation of immunosuppressive drug minimization strategies. We affirm that the supplement was sponsored and financially supported by external sources. Selection of topics and authors and initial review of manuscripts were the responsibility of the guest editors and an international scientific advisory board. Secondary reviews were performed by the special features editors. Although the editors of Transplantation have endeavored to identify and eliminate any bias in the presentations, they wish to emphasize that the articles contained herein have not undergone standard, peer editorial board review. The editors believe that careful analyses and evaluation of the difficulties identified in applying tolerance protocols successful in small animal models to large animal models and humans should provide potentially useful strategies worthy of clinical trial. At the same time, publication of this supplement should not be interpreted or implied as support by Transplantation for any specific claims made in these articles.