Selective unresponsiveness to beta cell autoantigens after induction immunosuppression in pancreas transplantation with anti-interleukin-2 receptor antibody versus anti-thymocyte globulin.

Pancreas transplantation in type 1 diabetes patients could result in (re)activation of allo- and autoreactive T lymphocytes. Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) induction treatment is a successful, but broadly reactive anti-lymphocyte therapy used in pancreas and islet transplantation. A more selective alternative is daclizumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the interleukin-2 receptor (CD25) on activated lymphocytes. We tested the hypothesis that daclizumab is more selective and has less immunological side effects than ATG. Thirty-nine simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation patients with type 1 diabetes were randomized for induction therapy with ATG or daclizumab. Auto- and recall immunity was measured cross-sectionally by lymphocyte stimulation tests with a series of auto- and recall antigens in 35 successfully transplanted patients. T cell autoimmunity to islets was low in both groups, except for a marginal but significantly higher reactivity against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)65 in daclizumab-treated patients. The memory responses to recall antigens were significantly higher in the daclizumab-treated group compared to ATG-treated patients, specifically against purified protein derivative (PPD) (anti-bacterial immunity), Haemophilus influenzae virus matrix protein-1 (anti-viral immunity) and p53 [anti-tumour (auto)immunity]. These data imply that daclizumab is more specifically affecting diabetes-related immune responses than ATG. The autoimmunity is affected effectively after daclizumab induction, while memory responses towards bacterial, viral and tumour antigens are preserved.