Fas, FasL and Foxp3 gene expression in post-liver transplant autoimmune hepatitis patients with and without acute rejection

Keivan Shams; Kurosh Kalantar; Mohammad Hossein Karimi; Meysam Nasiri; Afsoon Afshari; Zahra Amirghofran

doi:10.5114/ceh.2019.85076

eISSN: 2449-8238
ISSN: 2392-1099

Clinical and Experimental Hepatology

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2/2019
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abstract:

Original paper

Fas, FasL and Foxp3 gene expression in post-liver transplant autoimmune hepatitis patients with and without acute rejection

Keivan Shams

¹

,

Kurosh Kalantar

¹

,

Mohammad Hossein Karimi

²

,

Meysam Nasiri

^{2, 3}

,

Afsoon Afshari

²

,

Zahra Amirghofran

^{1, 4}

Department of Immunology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Department of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran
Autoimmune Disease Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Clin Exp HEPATOL 2019; 5, 2:103–108

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/ceh.2019.85076

Online publish date: 2019/05/14

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Aim of the study
In this study we investigated Fas, FasL and Foxp3 expression in relation to liver graft rejection and its severity in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) patients.

Material and methods
Twenty-three AIH patients including five post-transplant patients with acute rejection (AR) and 18 patients without AR (non-AR) were studied for Fas, FasL and Foxp3 gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells on days 1, 3 and 7 after transplantation by real-time PCR. The relationships between gene expression and clinical features were determined.

Results
Real-time PCR showed various Fas gene expression levels with no significant difference between the days in AR patients (p = 0.52). In non-AR patients, Fas level increased from 0.98 ±0.24 fold on the first day to 1.89 ±0.42 fold on day 3 after transplantation (p < 0.01). In this group of patients, we also found a significant increase in FasL expression on day 7 (29.91 ±6.89 fold) compared to day 1 (13.50 ±7.44 fold, p < 0.05). Foxp3 gene expression in both groups showed decreased levels during the first week after transplantation. The decreased Foxp3 expression in AR patients was correlated with rejection activity index (r = 0.86, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions
Increased Fas and FasL gene expression levels in non-AR patients and decreased Foxp3 gene expression in both groups suggested the important role of these molecules in the alloreactive response after liver transplantation in AIH patients. Foxp3 expression might be useful for monitoring rejection severity.

keywords:

Fas, FasL and Foxp3 gene expression in post-liver transplant autoimmune hepatitis patients with and without acute rejection

Keivan Shams 1 , Kurosh Kalantar 1 , Mohammad Hossein Karimi 2 , Meysam Nasiri 2, 3 , Afsoon Afshari 2 , Zahra Amirghofran 1, 4

FOXP3, autoimmune hepatitis, Fas, FasL, liver allograft

Keivan Shams

¹

,

Kurosh Kalantar

¹

,

Mohammad Hossein Karimi

²

,

Meysam Nasiri

^{2, 3}

,

Afsoon Afshari

²

,

Zahra Amirghofran

^{1, 4}