Novel biomarkers useful in surveillance of graft rejection after heart transplantation

Transpl Immunol. 2021 Aug:67:101406. doi: 10.1016/j.trim.2021.101406. Epub 2021 May 8.

Abstract

Heart transplantation (HTx) is considered the gold-standard therapy for the treatment of advanced heart failure (HF). The long-term survival in HTx is hindered by graft failure which represents one of the major limitations of the long-term efficacy of HTx. Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) and the evaluation of donor-specific antibodies (DSA) are currently considered the essential diagnostic tools for surveillance of graft rejection. Recently, new molecular biomarkers (including cell-free DeoxyriboNucleic Acid, exosomes, gene profiling microarray, nanostring, reverse transcriptase multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, proteomics and immune profiling by quantitative multiplex immunofluorescence) provide useful information on mechanisms of graft rejection. The ambitious role of a similar change of perspective is aimed at a better and longer graft preservation.

Keywords: Cardiac troponins; Endomyocardial biopsy; Graft rejection; Heart transplantation; Non-coding RNAs; cfDNA.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers
  • Biopsy
  • Cell-Free Nucleic Acids / genetics
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Graft Rejection / diagnosis*
  • Graft Rejection / genetics
  • Graft Rejection / immunology
  • Heart Transplantation*
  • Humans
  • Myocardium / pathology*
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Cell-Free Nucleic Acids
  • RNA, Long Noncoding