Expansion and characterization of regulatory T cell populations from Korean kidney transplant recipients

The development of immunosuppressants has enabled remarkable progress in kidney transplantation (KT). However, current immunosuppressants cannot induce immune tolerance, and their nonspecific immunosuppressive effects result in many adverse effects. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play crucial roles in controlling all specific immune responses. This study evaluated the distribution of Tregs and their effects on kidney allograft function in Korean KT recipients. We enrolled 113 KT recipients with stable graft function. The differentiation and expansion of Tregs were examined by flow cytometry to compare the Tregs subpopulations. Among the 113 patients, 73 (64.6%) were males, and the mean follow-up period from KT to Tregs collection was 147.5 + 111.3 months. Patients receiving lower doses of cyclosporine had higher proportions of Tregs than those with higher doses of cyclosporine (36.3 + 21.6 vs 17.0 + 12.7, P = .010, respectively). Patients taking cyclosporine tended to have higher Tregs numbers than those taking tacrolimus (94.7 + 158.1 vs 49.3 + 69.4, P = .095, respectively). However, no significant association was observed between Tregs and allograft dysfunction in the cox proportional hazard model. Tregs counts may be associated with the type and dose of immunosuppressants. However, no significant relationship was found between Tregs and kidney allograft function in stable KT recipients.