B lymphocyte-directed immunotherapy promotes long-term islet allograft survival in nonhuman primates.

Liu, Chengyang; Noorchashm, Hooman; Sutter, Jennifer A; Naji, Mina; Prak, Eline Luning; Boyer, Jean; Green, Taryn; Rickels, Michael R et al. · Nat Med · 2007

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

We found that an induction immunotherapy regimen consisting of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (Thymoglobulin) and the monoclonal antibody to CD20 rituximab (Rituxan) promoted long-term islet allograft survival in cynomolgus macaques maintained on rapamycin monotherapy. B lymphocyte reconstitution after rituximab-mediated depletion was characterized by a preponderance of immature and transitional cells, whose persistence was associated with long-term islet allograft survival. Development of donor-specific alloantibodies was abrogated only in the setting of continued rapamycin monotherapy.

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