Recent advances in renal transplantation: antibody-mediated rejection takes center stage

F1000Prime Rep. 2015 May 12:7:51. doi: 10.12703/P7-51. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Overlooked for decades, antibodies have taken center stage in renal transplantation and are now widely recognized as the first cause of allograft failure. Diagnosis of antibody-mediated rejection has considerably improved with identification of antibody-mediated lesions in graft biopsies and advances made in the detection of circulating donor-specific antibodies. Unfortunately, this progress has not yet translated into better outcomes for patients. Indeed, in the absence of a drug able to suppress antibody generation by plasma cells, available therapies can only slow down graft destruction. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of antibody-mediated rejection and discusses future interesting research directions.

Publication types

  • Review