Skin transplantation to monitor clinical donor-related tolerance in mixed hematopoietic chimerism

Pediatr Transplant. 2006 Feb;10(1):128-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3046.2005.00412.x.

Abstract

Mixed hematopoietic chimerism usually carries with it the tolerance to any other tissue from the same donor. Consequently, the establishment of a sustained chimerism may allow long-term acceptance of transplanted organs without immunosuppression. We report a girl with refractory severe aplastic anemia who developed low recipient level hematopoietic chimerism following transplantation of maternal highly purified CD34+ cells without prophylactic immunosuppression. Renal thrombotic microangiopathy led to chronic renal failure and she received skin allografts from her mother in view of a future kidney donation. The maternal skin grafts were accepted without immunosuppression and the hematopoietic chimerism remained stable. Skin transplantation may be a helpful and easily applicable tool to monitor donor-related tolerance in hematopoietic chimerism clinically. It should contribute to minimize the risks of subsequent solid organ transplantation from the same donor without immunosuppression.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anemia, Aplastic / surgery*
  • Child
  • Chimerism*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Graft Rejection / diagnosis
  • Graft Rejection / genetics*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / etiology
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / surgery
  • Kidney Transplantation
  • Monitoring, Physiologic / methods*
  • Skin Transplantation / methods*