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Transplant
How scientists hope to retrain the immune system after an organ transplant
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Organ transplantation has transformed countless lives, offering hope to people with end-stage organ failure. But for many patients, the journey doesn't end with surgery. Lifelong anti-rejection medications protect transplanted organs, but they also can increase the risk of infection, cancer and other serious health complications.
On the latest episode of "Tomorrow's Cure," host Lindsay Sievert explores a question researchers have pursued for decades: What if the immune system could be taught to accept a transplanted organ instead of suppressing it for life?
Joining the conversation are Timucin Taner, M.D., Ph.D., a transplant surgeon at Mayo Clinic, and Angus Thomson, Ph.D., DSc., a transplant immunologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Together, they discuss how advances in immune tolerance and cell therapy are bringing researchers closer to that goal.
Rather than broadly suppressing the immune system, scientists are studying ways to selectively prevent it from attacking a donated organ while preserving its ability to fight infection and disease.
"We're talking about trying to retrain the immune system," says Dr. Taner. "Not just reduce the immune responses to anything, but reduce the immune responses to the organ itself."
Researchers believe the liver may hold important clues because of its unique ability to promote immune tolerance. Clinical trials at Mayo Clinic and other institutions are testing cell-based therapies designed to help the immune system recognize transplanted organs without triggering rejection. Although more research is needed, early findings offer reason for optimism and could one day benefit patients receiving liver, kidney, heart and lung transplants, as well as people living with autoimmune diseases.
Listen to the latest episode of "Tomorrow's Cure" to learn how Mayo Clinic leads innovation in transplant. You can also explore the show's full library of episodes and guests on the show's playlist.
