Demonstrating the applicability of novel indices of immunological tolerance to clinical practice using immunosuppression-free transplant recipients

Objective

Patients who have received transplants generally require life-long immunosuppressive drugs, which are all associated with potentially life- threatening adverse effects. Occasionally, "tolerant" patients have been able to stop these drugs without losing their grafts, but we cannot differentiate them from others in whom stopping these drugs will result in rejection. In this project, specimens will be collected from tolerant patients and used in a series of novel, tests of immunological reactivity which have been developed by the consortium. An adequate number of such rare patients could only be collected from within a very large population, necessitating a collaboration of this size. We predict that this will reveal a tolerant "fingerprint' which can then be used to identify those whose drugs can be stopped and to define drug protocols which can induce tolerance.

Programme(s)

• FP5-LIFE QUALITY - Specific Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Quality of life and management of living resources", 1998-2002

Topic(s)

• 1.1.1.-3. - Key action The "Cell factory"

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

DEM - Demonstration contracts

Coordinator

CENTRE HOSPITALIER UNIVERSITAIRE DE NANTES

Address

Boulevard Jean Monnet 30
44035 Nantes
France

Participants (4)

HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITAET BERLIN

Germany

Address

Schumannstrasse 20-21
10117 Berlin

MEMOREC BIOTEC GMBH

Germany

Address

Stoeckheimer Weg 1
50829 Koeln

THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

United Kingdom

Address

John Radcliffe Hospital
OX3 9DU Oxford

Universite Libre de Bruxelles

Belgium

Address

Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 50
Bruxelles

Links