Multiomic profiling of transplant glomerulopathy reveals a novel T-cell dominant subclass

Iacopo Cristoferi*, Hilal Varol, Myrthe van Baardwijk, Layla Rahiem, Karishma A. Lila, Thierry P.P. van den Bosch, Carla C. Baan, Dennis A. Hesselink, Rafael Kramann, Robert C. Minnee, Dana A.M. Mustafa, Marlies E.J. Reinders, Dave L. Roelen, Shazia P. Shahzad-Arshad, Rex N. Smith, Andrew P. Stubbs, Robert B. Colvin, Ivy A. Rosales, Marian C. Clahsen-van Groningen*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)
29 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Kidney transplant (KTx) biopsies showing transplant glomerulopathy (TG) (glomerular basement membrane double contours (cg) > 0) and microvascular inflammation (MVI) in the absence of C4d staining and donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) do not fulfill the criteria for chronic active antibody–mediated rejection (CA-AMR) diagnosis and do not fit into any other Banff category. To investigate this, we initiated a multicenter intercontinental study encompassing 36 cases, comparing the immunomic and transcriptomic profiles of 14 KTx biopsies classified as cg+MVI DSA-/C4d- with 22 classified as CA-AMR DSA+/C4d+ through novel transcriptomic analysis using the NanoString Banff-Human Organ Transplant (B-HOT) panel and subsequent orthogonal subset analysis using two innovative 5-marker multiplex immunofluorescent panels. Nineteen genes were differentially expressed between the two study groups. Samples diagnosed with CA-AMR DSA+/C4d+ showed a higher glomerular abundance of natural killer cells and higher transcriptomic cell type scores for macrophages in an environment characterized by increased expression of complement-related genes (i.e., C5AR1) and higher activity of angiogenesis, interstitial fibrosis tubular atrophy, CA-AMR, and DSA-related pathways when compared to samples diagnosed with cg+MVI DSA-/C4d-. Samples diagnosed with cg+MVI DSA-/C4d- displayed a higher glomerular abundance and activity of T cells (CD3+, CD3+CD8+, and CD3+CD8-). Thus, we show that using novel multiomic techniques, KTx biopsies with cg+MVI DSA-/C4d- have a prominent T-cell presence and activity, putting forward the possibility that these represent a more T-cell dominant phenotype.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)812-823
Number of pages12
JournalKidney International
Volume105
Issue number4
Early online date19 Dec 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 International Society of Nephrology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Multiomic profiling of transplant glomerulopathy reveals a novel T-cell dominant subclass'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this