Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors have been used in transplantation with the hope of minimizing calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-induced nephrotoxicity. However, mTOR inhibitors are also associated with a range of…
Leonardo Riella10/2014
Rabbit antithymocyte globulin (ATG) is commonly used as an induction therapy in renal transplant recipients, but the ideal dosage in tacrolimus-based early steroid withdrawal protocols has not been established. The…
Leonardo Riella08/2014
Immune regulation is critical for the maintenance of peripheral self-tolerance and for down-regulation of immune responses. Understanding its mechanisms may permit the development of novel targets for the promotion of…
Leonardo Riella07/2014
BACKGROUND: More than 30% of potential kidney transplant recipients have pre-existing anti-human leukocyte antigen antibodies. This subgroup has significantly lower transplant rates and increased mortality. Desensitization has become an important…
Leonardo Riella06/2014
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite their effectiveness, calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) represent a major obstacle in the improvement of long-term graft survival in transplantation. The identification of new agents to implement CNI-free…
Leonardo Riella11/2013
INTRODUCTION: The concern about nephrotoxicity with calcineurin inhibitors led to the search of novel agents for immunosuppression. Based on the requirement of T-cell co-stimulatory signals to fully activated naïve T…
Leonardo Riella11/2013
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a pivotal role in the maintenance of immune tolerance and hold great promise as cell therapy for a variety of immune-mediated diseases. However, the cellular…
Leonardo Riella09/2013
The Notch pathway is an important intercellular signaling pathway that plays a major role in controlling cell fate. Accumulating evidence indicates that Notch and its ligands present on antigen-presenting cells…
Leonardo Riella06/2013