[Cytokine gene polymorphism in sensitized kidney transplant recipients and its association with acute rejection episodes].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between cytokine gene polymorphism in sensitized kidney transplant recipients and acute rejection episodes.

METHODS

PCR using sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) was performed to determine the cytokine genotypes of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-10 (IL-10), transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in 97 sensitized kidney transplant recipients. The association of cytokine genotypes with early graft rejection was explored.

RESULTS

Acute rejection occurred in 23 of the 97 patients during the first three months after operation. The incidence of acute rejection was higher in the recipients with high TNF-alpha or high IL-10 producer genotype (51.9% and 55.5% respectively) than in the recipients with low TNF-alpha or low to intermediate IL-10 producer genotype (12.9% and 13.3% respectively, P<0.01). The incidence of acute rejection was even higher in the recipients with high TNF-alpha in combination with intermediate to high IL-10 producer genotype than in the recipients with low TNF-alpha combined with low IL-10 producer genotype (62.5% vs 8.5%, P<a0.01). No relations were identified between TGF-beta1, IL-6, IFN-gamma gene polymorphisms and the incidence of acute rejection.

CONCLUSION

TNF-alpha and IL-10 gene polymorphism may significantly influence the incidence of acute rejection episodes in sensitized kidney transplants, for whom determination of TNF-alpha and IL-10 genotype might help design feasible immunosuppressive protocols.