Transplant Immunity: Overcoming the Main Cause of Rejection
Tissue and organ transplantation is one of the most important medical procedures that can save lives and improve the quality of life of patients with serious illnesses. However, despite significant advances in the field of transplantation, graft rejection remains a serious problem faced by many organ transplant recipients. This is caused by transplantation immunity, which is the main cause of transplant rejection.
Transplantation immunity occurs because the body's immune system recognizes transplanted tissues or organs as “foreign” and tries to destroy them. This process, known as rejection, can occur in various forms, from partial failure of the graft to complete rejection of the new organ. The main mechanism of rejection is the activation of immune cells, such as T lymphocytes and antibodies, which are directed to destroy the “foreign” material.
To overcome the problem of transplant rejection, there are various approaches that are aimed at suppressing the body's immune response. One of the most common methods is the use of immunosuppressants, which reduce the activity of the immune system and help prevent rejection. However, the use of immunosuppressants may be associated with unwanted side effects and an increased risk of infections.
A newer approach to overcoming transplant rejection is the use of transplant tolerance strategies. These strategies aim to induce immunological tolerance, a condition in which the body's immune system recognizes the transplanted tissue or organ as its own and does not attack it. Research in this area is active, and although the concept is still in the research stage, some approaches have already shown promising results.
One approach to achieving immunological tolerance is the use of cell therapy, such as bone marrow transplantation or regulatory T lymphocyte infusion. These methods are aimed at modulating the immune system in order to establish a tolerant state towards the transplanted tissues or organs.
Another promising area of research is the use of gene editing technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9, to modify the immune system and create so-called “universal” transplants. These grafts would be devoid of certain antigens that normally trigger an immune response, allowing them to be better accepted by the recipient's body.
Transplant immunity remains a complex and unpredictable problem in the field of transplantation. However, through continuous research and the development of new approaches, the scientific community continues to strive to develop more effective strategies to overcome transplant rejection. Advances in this area could greatly expand transplantation options and improve the lives of many patients awaiting organ transplants.
Transfer implant. The importance of the immunosuppression system when removing an organ or tissue and the characteristics of the state of the immune system. Reduced graft immunogenicity and risk of rejection. Immunization. The human immune system maintains the health and integrity of the body, recognizes and destroys infections, and builds tolerance to foreign structures within the body. It plays a special role in organ transplantation. Even a mildly infected graft can cause an immune condition leading to organ rejection and death of the patient.
Transplantations are one of the most complex treatments, requiring a temporary rejection of the recipient's body's immune system. In a transplant, tissue (in most cases bone marrow) and organ (bone marrow, lymph nodes) are replaced in the recipient with tissue and an organ from the donor. Unlike other methods, the transplant cannot be switched off during the operation. Instead, doctors create conditions for the immune system in which it does not identify