Die Organtransplantation hat sich in den letzten 20 Jahren zu einem Standardverfahren in der Therapie schwerer, anders nicht mehr behandelbarer Organerkrankungen entwickelt. In Deutschland werden jährlich etwa 3000 Transplantationen durchgeführt. Über 13 000 Menschen stehen auf der Warteliste für einen solchen Eingriff. Sowohl die Wartezeit als auch die verschiedenen Phasen nach dem Eingriff fordern erhebliche psychische Anpassungsleistungen von Patienten und Angehörigen, was häufig zu psychischen Störungen führt. Das Transplantationsgesetz von 1997 fordert daher ausdrücklich eine psychosomatische Mitbetreuung in den Transplantationszentren. Trotz dieses Therapiebedarfs fehlt es bisher an empirisch gesicherten therapeutischen Strategien. In der Transplantationsmedizin ist ein methodenübergreifender Betreuungsansatz sinnvoll. Kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutische Therapieelemente scheinen aufgrund ihres pragmatischen und lösungsorientierten Ansatzes für diese Patientengruppe besonders geeignet. Ziel dieses Artikels ist es, auf Basis klinischer Erfahrungen und der wissenschaftlichen Literatur eine Übersicht über die unterschiedlichen Phasen der Transplantation solider Organe, ihre spezifischen Belastungen und therapeutische Strategien für Patienten und ihre Angehörigen zu geben. Der Bedarf an empirischer Forschung auf diesem Gebiet, gerade was die Wirksamkeit verhaltensmedizinischer Interventionen angeht, wird deutlich. / About 3,000 patients per year receive a transplant in Germany and some 13,000 patients are on waiting lists. Waiting period and the different stages of recovery demand special coping strategies from patients and their families. Psychological disorders are frequent before and after the transplantation and psychological risk factors are relevant for the outcome of the transplantation. Therefore special psychosomatic care for patients and their families is necessary. However, evidence based knowledge on appropriate therapeutic interventions is still scarce. In transplantation medicine, an overall approach is reasonable. Cognitive-behavioral aspects seem to be especially promising. The article describes strategies and techniques for the psychosomatic assessment of patients before transplantation and psychotherapeutic interventions for patients and their families before and after solid organ transplantation. More research on the effects of psychotherapeutic interventions in this field is necessary. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Raman spectroscopy, together with multivariate statistical analyses, has proven to be a near real-time analytical technique capable of phenotyping cells, tissues and organs. This dissertation will show exclusively the application of the Raman spectroscopy phenotypic profiling method to; (i) microbial toxicity, (ii) ex-vivo organ perfusion, and (iii) subcellular location targeting. Real-time analytical methods for monitoring living biological systems will enable study of the physiological changes associated with growth, genetic manipulations, and adverse environmental conditions. Most existing analytical methods (NMR exempt), though highly accurate, must be performed off-line and most require destruction of the studied sample. These attributes make these methodologies less desirable to the study of physiological changes of cells, tissues, and organs. In this work, Raman spectroscopy has been identified and shown to be a good candidate for real-time analysis mainly because it can be performed: (i) in near real-time, (ii) non-destructively and with minimal sample preparation, (iii) through a glass barrier (i.e., can be performed in situ), and (iv) with minimal spectral interference from water. Here, Raman spectroscopy was used in combination with multivariate statistics to analyze the differing toxic effects of 4-C chain alcohols on E. coli. Good correlations were established between Raman spectra and off-line analytical techniques used to measure: (i) saturated, unsaturated, and cyclopropane fatty acids; (ii) amino acid composition of total protein; and (iii) cell membrane fluidity. Also, Raman 'fingerprint' analysis was used to discriminate among different phenotypic responses of cells. In addition, this methodology was applied to analyze perfusates of organs maintained by the VasoWave® organ perfusion system. Raman fingerprints can be used to assess organ health, and it is believed this data can be used to inform decisions such as whether or not to transplant an organ. Finally, molecular biology techniques were used to design and produce specific protein targets harboring a silver binding domain fusion, which upon release migrate to specific subcellular locations. By employing the related technique of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), which produces a highly amplified Raman signal in the presence of metallic nanoparticle substrates (e.g., silver nanoparticles), different regions of the E. coli cell structure were studied. The target regions studied by the technique included: (i) outer cell membrane, (ii) periplasm, and the (iii) cytoplasm. / Ph. D.

INTRODUÇÃO: O transplante traqueal continua um desafio. Contudo, avanços nas técnicas de revascularização dos enxertos traqueais e no conhecimento da imunobiologia da traquéia, indicam que esta técnica pode ser utilizada com freqüência no futuro próximo. A depuração mucociliar (DM) é o mecanismo de defesa inato mais importante das vias aéreas. A traquéia age como um órgão de defesa devido à DM. A DM ocorre por ação do batimento ciliar do epitélio respiratório que impele o muco que atapeta as vias respiratórias, carreando substâncias nocivas. Idealmente, a DM deve ser preservada em enxertos traqueais passíveis de utilização para transplante traqueal. Nosso intuito foi: 1) avaliar os efeitos da isquemia fria sobre a DM; e 2) avaliar a ação de soluções de preservação administradas por via tópica na manutenção da DM após isquemia fria. MÉTODOS: De 109 ratos Wistar foram obtidos 217 segmentos traqueais. Os segmentos foram distribuídos entre três grupos experimentais e um grupo Controle. Cada segmento foi submergido em LPD-glicose (grupo LPD), histidina-triptofano-cetoglutarato (grupo HTK) ou solução salina (grupo Salina). Avaliou-se a DM após 6,10,16 ou 24 horas de isquemia fria. No grupo Controle os segmentos foram analisados imediatamente após a extração, não havendo isquemia fria, nem submersão em soluções. A velocidade de transporte mucociliar (VTM) foi medida através de microscópio de luz, pela observação do movimento das partículas de muco na superfície dos segmentos traqueais. A freqüência de batimento ciliar (FBC) foi obtida pela sincronização entre o movimento ciliar observado pelo microscópio de luz e um estroboscópio. Em seguida, os segmentos foram corados com hematoxilina-eosina para analisar a integridade epitelial (IE) e a inflamação subepitelial (IS). Foi realizada análise quantitativa do muco intracelular por um programa de computador após coloração com azul de alcião (MI-AA) e PAS (MI-PAS). As amostras mais significativas foram analisadas qualitativamente por microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (ME). Foram realizadas duas análises: 1) grupo Controle e tempos de isquemia; e 2) grupo Controle e soluções de preservação (agrupado pelo tempo de isquemia). RESULTADOS: 1) grupo Controle e tempos de isquemia: O grupo controle foi melhor que os grupos submetidos a isquemia fria quanto à VTM (p=0,0001) e FBC (p=0,012). Contudo, não houve diferença na IE, IS e MI entre o grupo Controle e os demais grupos. 2) grupo Controle e soluções de preservação: O grupo controle apresentou melhor VTM que os grupos LPD, HTK e Salina após isquemia de 6h (p=0,001), 16h (p=0,009) e 24h (p=0,001). O grupo controle apresentou melhor FBC que os grupos LPD, HTK e Salina após isquemia de 24h (p=0,001). Não houve diferença entre os grupos na IE e IS. O grupo Controle apresentou melhor MI-AA que os grupos LPD após 16h (p=0,02) e HTK após 24h de isquemia (p=0,04). Não houve diferença entre os grupos à MI-PAS. À ME, o grupo Salina apresentou maiores alterações secundárias à isquemia do que os demais grupos. CONCLUSÕES: 1) A isquemia fria piora a DM; e 2) O uso de soluções de preservação administradas por via tópica não contribui para manutenção da DM após isquemia fria / INTRODUCTION: Tracheal transplantation is a challenging problem. Recent advances in graft revascularization, and reepithelialization renewed the interest on airway transplantation. Mucociliary clearance (MC) is the most important innate defense mechanism of the respiratory system. MC works by mucous transport carried out by ciliary beating function of the airway epithelium. Trachea acts as a defense organ in the respiratory system through the MC. Ideally, MC should be preserved in tracheal grafts used for transplantation. Preservation solutions improve organ preservation by decreasing ischemic injury. The purpose of the study was: 1) to evaluate the effects of cold ischemia on MC; and 2) to evaluate the impact of topically-applied preservation solutions on MC after cold ischemia. METHODS: From 109 male Wistar rats we obtained 217 tracheal segments. The segments were allocated to one of four groups. Segments were submerged in LPD-glucose (LPD group), histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK group), or saline solution (Saline group), and stored at 4C. MC was analyzed after 6, 10, 16 or 24h of ischemia. Control group have only segments that were analyzed right after extraction, not submitted to cold ischemia or submersion in preservation solutions. The mucociliary transport velocity (MTV) was measured by observation of mucous particle under the surface of the segments, through a light microscope. Ciliary beating frequency (CBF) was achieved by synchronization between cilia movement and a stroboscope flashlight. Tracheas were stained with hematoxylin-eosin in order to analyze the epithelial integrity (EI) and the subepithelial inflammation (SI). A quantitative analysis of the intracellular mucus stained with alcian blue (IM -AB) and PAS (IM-PAS) was achieved by a software. The most significant samples of the tracheal segments were qualitatively analyzed by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). Two analyses were made: 1) Control group and ischemic time; and 2) Control group and preservation solutions. RESULTS: 1) Control group and ischemic time: Control group had better VTM (p=0,0001) and CBF (p=0,012) than the groups submitted to cold ischemia. However, there was no difference among Control group and the other groups on EI, SI, IM-AB, and IM-PAS. 2) Control group and preservation solutions: Control group showed better MTV than the LPD, HTK, and Saline groups after 6h (p=0,001), 16h (p=0,009) and 24h (p=0,001) of cold ischemia. Control group showed better CBF than the LPD, HTK, and Saline groups after 24h of ischemia (p=0,001). There was no difference among groups on EI and SI. Control group showed better IM-AB than both the LPD group after 16h of cold ischemia (p=0,02), and the HTK group after 24h of cold ischemia (p=0,04). There was no difference among the groups on IM-PAS. TEM showed more findings of ischemic lesion on Saline group. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Cold ischemia impairs MC; and 2) Topically-applied preservation solutions do not ameliorate MC after cold ischemia

Die Schädigung des Organs durch Ischämie-Reperfusion (IR) im Rahmen der kadaverischen Organtransplantation hat bedeutenden Anteil an der Pathogenese verzögert einsetzender Organfunktion und Auswirkungen auf das Langzeitüberleben des Transplantats. In der vorliegenden Studie sollte der Einfluss unspezifischer Schädigung durch IR verglichen mit spezifischen Alloantigen-abhängigen Mechanismen während der Frühphase nach der Transplantation sowie die Auswirkungen prolongierter Aufbewahrung auf Schädigung und Immunogenität des Organs ermittelt werden. Nach vorausgegangener vierstündiger kalter Ischämiezeit wurden Organe aus syngen (Lew/Lew) und allogen (F344/Lew) transplantierten Ratten an 8 aufeinander folgenden Zeitpunkten innerhalb der ersten 10 Tage zu funktionellen, immunhistochemischen und morphologischen Veränderungen untersucht. In weiteren Gruppen wurden syngen transplantierte Organe 24 Stunden nach der Transplantation untersucht, die zuvor ansteigenden kalten Ischämiezeiten zwischen 2 und 48 Stunden ausgesetzt wurden. Im zeitlichen Verlauf zeigten sich bis 7 Tage nach der Transplantation keine wesentlichen Unterschiede zu Nierenfunktion, Morphologie, Zellinfiltration und Expression von Adhesionsmolekülen zwischen allogenen und isogenen Gruppen. Die zunächst eintretende Verschlechterung der Nierenfunktion war begleitet von einem Einstrom neutrophiler und monozytärer Zellen und morphologischen Veränderungen im Sinne von akuter Tubulusnekrose (ATN). Unter zunehmender Infiltration von Monozyten/Makrophagen kam es funktionell und morphologisch zur Regeneration. Neutrophile traten vornehmlich über Interaktion von ICAM-1/LFA-1 und Monozyten/Makrophagen über VCAM-1/VLA-4 aus dem Gefäßsystem aus. Gabe von Cyclosporin A führte zu signifikanter Reduktion ED-1-positiver Makrophagen nach 10 Tagen, ohne jedoch den Anteil des aktivierten Makrophagensubtyps ED-2 zu beeinflussen. Ansteigende kalte Aufbewahrung des Organs führte zu größerer vaskulärer Schädigung, die sich durch abnehmende Intensität und lückenhaftere Verteilung von PECAM-1 auf dem Endothel äußerte. Die Zunahme der Intensität von Tissue Factor auf Endothel und infiltrierenden Leukozyten deutete neben gesteigerter Thrombogenese auf alternative Adhäsionsmechanismen hin. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen, dass innerhalb der ersten 10 Tage nach der Transplantation wichtige Phasen der Gewebeschädigung und Regeneration ausgelöst durch die Schädigung nach IR und weitestgehend ohne Beteiligung Alloantigen-abhängiger Faktoren ablaufen. Eine bedeutende Rolle als Mediatoren während dieser Phasen kommt dabei den Monozyten/Makrophagen zu. / Organ damage due to long cold preservation is associated with delayed graft function and has important effects on graft survival. Aim of this study was to determine the impact of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury compared to antigen-specific mechanisms and the effect of prolonged cold ischemia on intragraft injury and antigenicity during the early phase post transplantation. Rat renal grafts were four-hours cold-preserved, transplanted to syngeneic (Lew/Lew) or allogeneic recipients (F344/Lew) and harvested at 8 different time points after transplantation for further investigation of functional, immunhistochemical and histologic changes. In five additional syngen groups organs were cold preserved from 2 hours to 48 hours and harvested after 24 hours post transplantation. No significant differences in renal function, morphologic changes, cellular infiltration and expression of adhesion molecules occurred between syngeneic and allogeneic groups within the first 7 days. Initial functional impairment was accompanied by the influx of neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages together with morphologic changes reflecting acute tubular necrosis (ATN). Increasing infiltration of monocytes/macrophages paralleled functional and morphologic regeneration. Extravasation of neutrophils was mediated mainly by interaction of ICAM-1/LFA-1 and infiltration of monocytes/macrophages by VCAM-1/VLA-4. Treatment with the standard dose of Cyclosporin A (CsA) lead to a significant decrease of ED1-positive macrophage infiltration 10 days post NTx but the portion of ED2-positive macrophage subtype was not affected. Prolonged cold organ preservation lead to more severe vascular damage indicated by decreased color intensity and continuity of PECAM-1 staining on endothelial cells. Higher staining intensity for Tissue Factor (TF) on endothelium and infiltrating leukocytes implicated enhanced intragraft procoagulant capacity and alternative adhesion mechanisms. These results show that within the first 10 days post transplantation phases of tissue injury and repair after ischemia-reperfusion are largely independent of the immunologic background and monocytes/macrophages play an important role as mediators during these processes.

INTRODUÇÃO: O transplante traqueal continua um desafio. Contudo, avanços nas técnicas de revascularização dos enxertos traqueais e no conhecimento da imunobiologia da traquéia, indicam que esta técnica pode ser utilizada com freqüência no futuro próximo. A depuração mucociliar (DM) é o mecanismo de defesa inato mais importante das vias aéreas. A traquéia age como um órgão de defesa devido à DM. A DM ocorre por ação do batimento ciliar do epitélio respiratório que impele o muco que atapeta as vias respiratórias, carreando substâncias nocivas. Idealmente, a DM deve ser preservada em enxertos traqueais passíveis de utilização para transplante traqueal. Nosso intuito foi: 1) avaliar os efeitos da isquemia fria sobre a DM; e 2) avaliar a ação de soluções de preservação administradas por via tópica na manutenção da DM após isquemia fria. MÉTODOS: De 109 ratos Wistar foram obtidos 217 segmentos traqueais. Os segmentos foram distribuídos entre três grupos experimentais e um grupo Controle. Cada segmento foi submergido em LPD-glicose (grupo LPD), histidina-triptofano-cetoglutarato (grupo HTK) ou solução salina (grupo Salina). Avaliou-se a DM após 6,10,16 ou 24 horas de isquemia fria. No grupo Controle os segmentos foram analisados imediatamente após a extração, não havendo isquemia fria, nem submersão em soluções. A velocidade de transporte mucociliar (VTM) foi medida através de microscópio de luz, pela observação do movimento das partículas de muco na superfície dos segmentos traqueais. A freqüência de batimento ciliar (FBC) foi obtida pela sincronização entre o movimento ciliar observado pelo microscópio de luz e um estroboscópio. Em seguida, os segmentos foram corados com hematoxilina-eosina para analisar a integridade epitelial (IE) e a inflamação subepitelial (IS). Foi realizada análise quantitativa do muco intracelular por um programa de computador após coloração com azul de alcião (MI-AA) e PAS (MI-PAS). As amostras mais significativas foram analisadas qualitativamente por microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (ME). Foram realizadas duas análises: 1) grupo Controle e tempos de isquemia; e 2) grupo Controle e soluções de preservação (agrupado pelo tempo de isquemia). RESULTADOS: 1) grupo Controle e tempos de isquemia: O grupo controle foi melhor que os grupos submetidos a isquemia fria quanto à VTM (p=0,0001) e FBC (p=0,012). Contudo, não houve diferença na IE, IS e MI entre o grupo Controle e os demais grupos. 2) grupo Controle e soluções de preservação: O grupo controle apresentou melhor VTM que os grupos LPD, HTK e Salina após isquemia de 6h (p=0,001), 16h (p=0,009) e 24h (p=0,001). O grupo controle apresentou melhor FBC que os grupos LPD, HTK e Salina após isquemia de 24h (p=0,001). Não houve diferença entre os grupos na IE e IS. O grupo Controle apresentou melhor MI-AA que os grupos LPD após 16h (p=0,02) e HTK após 24h de isquemia (p=0,04). Não houve diferença entre os grupos à MI-PAS. À ME, o grupo Salina apresentou maiores alterações secundárias à isquemia do que os demais grupos. CONCLUSÕES: 1) A isquemia fria piora a DM; e 2) O uso de soluções de preservação administradas por via tópica não contribui para manutenção da DM após isquemia fria / INTRODUCTION: Tracheal transplantation is a challenging problem. Recent advances in graft revascularization, and reepithelialization renewed the interest on airway transplantation. Mucociliary clearance (MC) is the most important innate defense mechanism of the respiratory system. MC works by mucous transport carried out by ciliary beating function of the airway epithelium. Trachea acts as a defense organ in the respiratory system through the MC. Ideally, MC should be preserved in tracheal grafts used for transplantation. Preservation solutions improve organ preservation by decreasing ischemic injury. The purpose of the study was: 1) to evaluate the effects of cold ischemia on MC; and 2) to evaluate the impact of topically-applied preservation solutions on MC after cold ischemia. METHODS: From 109 male Wistar rats we obtained 217 tracheal segments. The segments were allocated to one of four groups. Segments were submerged in LPD-glucose (LPD group), histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK group), or saline solution (Saline group), and stored at 4C. MC was analyzed after 6, 10, 16 or 24h of ischemia. Control group have only segments that were analyzed right after extraction, not submitted to cold ischemia or submersion in preservation solutions. The mucociliary transport velocity (MTV) was measured by observation of mucous particle under the surface of the segments, through a light microscope. Ciliary beating frequency (CBF) was achieved by synchronization between cilia movement and a stroboscope flashlight. Tracheas were stained with hematoxylin-eosin in order to analyze the epithelial integrity (EI) and the subepithelial inflammation (SI). A quantitative analysis of the intracellular mucus stained with alcian blue (IM -AB) and PAS (IM-PAS) was achieved by a software. The most significant samples of the tracheal segments were qualitatively analyzed by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). Two analyses were made: 1) Control group and ischemic time; and 2) Control group and preservation solutions. RESULTS: 1) Control group and ischemic time: Control group had better VTM (p=0,0001) and CBF (p=0,012) than the groups submitted to cold ischemia. However, there was no difference among Control group and the other groups on EI, SI, IM-AB, and IM-PAS. 2) Control group and preservation solutions: Control group showed better MTV than the LPD, HTK, and Saline groups after 6h (p=0,001), 16h (p=0,009) and 24h (p=0,001) of cold ischemia. Control group showed better CBF than the LPD, HTK, and Saline groups after 24h of ischemia (p=0,001). There was no difference among groups on EI and SI. Control group showed better IM-AB than both the LPD group after 16h of cold ischemia (p=0,02), and the HTK group after 24h of cold ischemia (p=0,04). There was no difference among the groups on IM-PAS. TEM showed more findings of ischemic lesion on Saline group. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Cold ischemia impairs MC; and 2) Topically-applied preservation solutions do not ameliorate MC after cold ischemia

No description available.

Les alloanticorps anti-HLA sont dirigés vis-à-vis de différents épitopes des molécules du système HLA. Cette immunisation survient lors d'une transplantation d'organe, de transfusions sanguines ou d'une grossesse. On retrouve aussi ces anticorps, lorsque les techniques de détection sont sensibles, en l'absence de tout évènement immunisant. En transplantation d'organe, rénale en particulier, la présence d’anticorps anti-HLA, du fait des lésions de rejet humoral qu'ils induisent, constitue une des premières causes de perte de fonction des greffons à moyen et long terme. Néanmoins, les cellules lymphocytaires qui sont la source de ces anticorps anti-HLA demeurent mal identifiées.Dans la première partie de ce travail, nous avons étudié, dans une cohorte de patients en attente de transplantation rénale, la distribution des différentes sous-populations lymphocytaires B circulantes par cytométrie de flux en relation avec la nature des évènements immunisants vis-à-vis du système HLA, la présence et la diversité des anticorps anti-HLA. Nous avons étudié en parallèle les concentrations sériques de BAFF ("B cell activating factor belonging to the TNF family"), principal facteur impliqué dans la survie et la différenciation des lymphocytes B matures. Nous avons retrouvé une association entre la présence et la diversité des anticorps anti-HLA, et l'augmentation de la proportion de lymphocytes B naïfs activés Bm2, par rapport aux autres sous-populations lymphocytaires B, et indépendamment de l'existence d'évènements immunisants. Les concentrations sériques de BAFF étaient également associées positivement à la présence et à la diversité des anticorps anti-HLA. Ces données suggèrent que l'augmentation des lymphocytes B naïfs activés et des concentrations sériques de BAFF favorise le développement des anticorps anti-HLA à la suite d'un événement immunisant. A l'instar du mécanisme évoqué en auto-immunité, BAFF pourrait intervenir en présence de l'alloantigène en favorisant la survie de clones B alloréactifs.Dans la deuxième partie de notre travail, nous nous sommes intéressés plus particulièrement à l'implication des lymphocytes B mémoire alloréactifs dans la réponse humorale anti-HLA. Pour détecter les lymphocytes B mémoire circulants, nous avons utilisé un test de stimulation polyclonale permettant leur différenciation en plasmablastes puis nous avons recherché et étudié la spécificité des anticorps anti-HLA produits dans les surnageants de culture. Un premier résultat important a été la possibilité de détecter, chez les patients présentant des anticorps anti-HLA, des lymphocytes B mémoire alloréactifs circulants plusieurs années après un événement immunisant. En deuxième lieu, la présence de ces lymphocytes B mémoire était associée au nombre d'évènements immunisants. En effet, les patients ayant développé, en l'absence d'événement immunisant des anticorps anti-HLA - dont nous montrons par ailleurs le caractère potentiellement pathogène - n'ont pas présenté de lymphocytes B mémoire alloréactifs circulants. Enfin, à l'aide du logiciel HLAMatchmaker, nous avons montré que les anticorps produits par les lymphocytes B mémoire étaient dirigés contre un nombre restreint d'épitopes partagés par plusieurs antigènes HLA, ce qui suggère une oligoclonalité du contingent B mémoire alloréactif. Chez les mêmes patients, les anticorps anti-HLA circulants présentaient une diversité de spécificité plus large, étant dirigés contre de multiples épitopes HLA. Ces résultats suggèrent l'existence d'au moins deux types de réponse humorale vis-à-vis des alloantigènes HLA : l'une aboutissant à la production de lymphocytes B mémoire et de plasmocytes à la suite d'une réaction de centre germinatif T-dépendante, l'autre impliquant seulement des plasmocytes, possiblement issus de réponses extra-folliculaires. Les facteurs orientant vers l’un ou l’autre type de réponse sont encore mal définis mais pourraient impliquer la dose et la voie d'exposition aux alloantigènes. / Anti-HLA antibodies are directed against various epitopes of HLA molecules. They develop during organ transplantations, red cell transfusions or pregnancies. But anti-HLA antibodies are also detected with sensitive assays in the absence of any sensitizing event. In renal transplantation, anti-HLA antibodies, through the development of antibody-mediated rejection, represent the first cause of late allograft loss. Nevertheless, the mechanisms and the exact nature of B cells involved in anti-HLA antibodies synthesis are poorly understood.In a first part, we studied by flow cytometry in patients awaiting kidney transplantation the distribution of the different peripheral B cell subsets in relation with immunizing events, titer and diversity of anti-HLA antibodies. We also studied the serum levels of BAFF ("B cell activating factor belonging to the TNF family"), the main factor involved in survival and differentiation of mature B cells. We found an association between the presence and the diversity of anti-HLA antibodies, and the proportion of activated naive Bm2 B cells, at the expense of other subsets, independently of immunizing events. BAFF serum levels were also positively associated with the presence and the diversity of anti-HLA antibodies. These data suggest that the increase in activated naive B cells and in BAFF levels facilitate the development of anti-HLA antibodies, following an immunizing event. Similarly to what is observed in autoimmunity, BAFF could help to the positive selection of alloreactive B cell clones, in the presence of alloantigen.In a second part, we focused on the role of circulating alloreactive memory B cells in anti-HLA humoral response. To detect those alloreactive memory B cells, we used a polyclonal stimulation assay allowing the differentiation of memory B cells into plasmablasts and we studied the specificity of anti-HLA antibodies recovered from culture supernatant. A first important result was the detection, decades after an imunizing event, of specific alloreactive memory B cells, even in the absence of the antigen. The detection of those circulating alloreactive memory B cells was related to the strength of immunizing events, i.e. the number of different immunizing events in the history of patients. Indeed, patients with anti-HLA antibodies with no history of immunizing event had no circulating alloreactive memory B cells. Eventually, with HLAMatchmaker software, we showed that antibodies produced by memory B cells were directed against a limited number of epitopes shared by HLA antigens, which suggests an oligoclonality of the alloreactive memory B cell population. By comparison, serum antibodies displayed a greater diversity, with multiple epitopic specificities. These results suggest two distinct cellular arms of humoral response towards HLA epitopes: medullar plasma cells, involved in long term HLA antibodies synthesis, and memory B cells waiting for a recall response in the presence of the antigen. The factors involved in the choice of those two cellular fates are poorly understood but may involve dose and route of exposition to the alloantigen.

La présente thèse poursuit l'objectif général de mieux comprendre l'expérience de la transplantation d'organe de la perspective de dyades comprenant un donneur et un receveur d'une donation vivante de rein. Pour ce faire, nous proposons une exploration en profondeur de la trajectoire de transplantation et des enjeux relationnels des donneurs et des receveurs. Un second objectif, qui s'est développé au cours de la recherche, est de contribuer à une meilleure compréhension des enjeux entourant la recherche qualitative impliquant des dyades. Cette thèse est présentée sous la forme de trois articles. Le premier article vise, par le biais de la méthode du méta-résumé, à dresser un portrait le plus complet possible du processus de donation tel qu'il avait été examiné à ce jour par les écrits empiriques qualitatifs disponibles, et à mettre en lumière les aspects qui avaient encore peu été appréhendés par les chercheurs, notamment l'importance de considérer conjointement au sein d'une même recherche des donneurs et des receveurs d'une donation vivante de rein. Le deuxième article a pour but d'explorer en profondeur l'expérience vécue pour des dyades de donneurs et de receveurs en contexte de donation vivante de rein, et en particulier la trajectoire de transplantation ainsi que les enjeux relationnels. Des entrevues qualitatives ont été menées auprès de cinq dyades (donc cinq donneurs et cinq receveurs). L'analyse phénoménologique interprétative des données recueillies propose un portrait de la trajectoire de transplantation, soit (a) l'expérience de la maladie du receveur, (b) l'expérience d'offrir et d'accepter un rein, (c) la période des tests, (d) la transplantation d'organe à proprement parler et finalement (e) la période post-transplantation. Un apport particulièrement significatif de l'analyse et de l'interprétation de nos données est la mise en relief que le processus de transplantation est mieux compris lorsque l'on considère le contexte social et interpersonnel plus large dans lequel évolue chaque dyade donneur-receveur, et en ce sens, la décision de donner ou d'accepter un rein peut être appréhendée comme un prolongement du rôle social auquel la personne adhère par rapport à autrui dans sa vie quotidienne. Le troisième article, qui a émergé des leçons acquises en réalisant la recherche effectuée dans l'article précédent, vise à décrire et discuter des défis éthiques et des impacts des décisions méthodologiques dans le cadre de recherches qualitatives impliquant des dyades de personnes se connaissant. Sur la base de nos propres défis empiriques et des écrits scientifiques disponibles, des réflexions et recommandations sont suggérées à différents stades d'un processus typique de recherche qualitative, soit (a) le recrutement, (b) le consentement à participer, (c) la collecte de données, (d) la validation des transcriptions par les participants, (e) l'analyse de données, et (f) la dissémination des résultats. Une réflexion en amont des enjeux entourant ces étapes est susceptible de faciliter l'entreprise de recherches qualitatives impliquant des dyades. En conclusion, les résultats de notre analyse soulignent l'importance du rôle social et du contexte interpersonnel plus large dans lequel évoluent les donneurs et les receveurs dans la façon dont ils parviennent à donner une signification à leur expérience. Enfin, si la recherche qualitative impliquant des dyades est en émergence, des défis éthiques et des décisions méthodologiques rigoureuses doivent être considérés en amont. / The global objective of this thesis is to help develop a better understanding of how living kidney transplantation donors and recipients experience the donation process as an interactive dyad. To address this objective, we suggest an in-depth exploration of the transplant trajectory and of the relational issues at play between donors and recipients in the context of a living kidney donation. A secondary objective, which developed along the way, is to contribute to a better understanding of how to conduct qualitative research with dyads. This thesis is comprised of three articles. The first article is a meta-summary that aimed at aggregating results pertaining to both donors and recipients of a living kidney donation to offer a complete picture of the donation process and to highlight avenues that warrant further research, namely looking at both donors and recipients as an interactive dyad within the same study. The objective of the second article was to provide a better understanding of how living kidney transplantation donors and recipients experience the donation process as an interactive dyad, and in particular the transplant trajectory and the relational issues involved. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with five dyads (five donors and five recipients). An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the data suggests that the transplant process can be naturally broken down into five phases of the transplant process: (a) the experience of the disease, (b) the experience of offering and accepting a kidney, (c) the screening period, (d) the surgery, and (e) the post-transplantation period. We found that for each donor-recipient dyad, the transplantation process reflects the unique larger social and interpersonal context within which the dyad evolves, and in this sense, the decision to donate or accept a kidney becomes a reflection of the social role one adheres to with respect to another being in everyday life. The third article emerged from the lessons we learned in conducting the research described in the second article and describes both the ethical challenges and methodological decisions involved in conducting qualitative research with dyads who have shared a common experience. Based on our experience and on the available literature, we offer reflections and recommendations that follow the typical chronology of the research process: (a) recruitment, (b) consent to participation, (c) data collection, (d) transcript validation by participants, (e) data analysis, and (f) result dissemination. Reflecting ahead upon issues at each of these stages is likely to be beneficial in conducting rigorous qualitative research involving dyads. In conclusion, our results underline the importance of the unique larger social and interpersonal context within which dyads evolve and achieve a sense of meaning with respect to their own experience of the donation process. Last, as qualitative research involving dyads continues to evolve, ethical challenges and rigorous methodological decisions should be reflected upon ahead of time.