Immunol Invest. 2014;43(8):829-37. doi: 10.3109/08820139.2014.915414.

Recent immunomodulatory strategies in transplantation.

Ebrahimi A¹, Rahim F.

Abstract

Despite preservation methods, surgical procedures, current immunosuppressive therapy regimens advances, organ transplantation is accompanied with a poor long-term survival and significant mortality. This has led to an increased interest to optimize outcomes while minimizing associated toxicity by using alternative methods for maintenance immunosuppression, organ rejection treatment, and monitoring of immunosuppression. Advance in long-standing allograft outcomes may depend on new drugs with novel mechanisms of action with minimal toxicity. Newer treatment techniques have been developed, including using novel stem cell-based therapies such as mesenchymal stem cells, phagosomes and exosomes. Immunoisolation techniques and salvage therapies, including photopheresis and total lymphoid irradiation have emerged as alternate therapeutic choices. The present review evaluates the recent clinical advances in immunosuppressive therapies for organ transplantation.