Modulated rat dendritic cells in renal transplantation models : immune regulation and graft outcome

Following allograft transplantation, the immune system is triggered to induce an immunogenic response against the non-self organ. To prevent the induction of this immunogenic response, recipients are treated with immunosuppressive medication. The majority of these medications target T cells, which play a key role in the rejection process, and thereby prevent acute rejection in most of the recipients. Non-specific targeting of these T cells not only prevents acute rejection, it also prevents responses against pathogens or tumor growth. In addition, long-term use of immunosuppressive agents may cause organ failure due to toxic effects on the organ [1]. Therefore, the ultimate goal is to develop a therapy, which targets alloreactive T cells, allowing a normal response against pathogens and tumors, in the absence of chronic use of immunosuppressive agents. Various strategies have been employed to induce such a donor-specific tolerance, amongst which treatment with immature DC [2]. These immature DC have, in contrast to mature DC, the capacity to induce tolerogenic responses and are therefore an attractive candidate for cellular therapy. The studies presented in this thesis demonstrate that in fully mismatched kidney transplantation models, administration of modulated donor-derived DC to recipient__s results in regulation of recipient__s immune response. Both the donor-specific hyporesponsiveness of recipient T cells and the reduced influx of CD8+ T cells into the graft of LPS-DexDC treated recipients indicate a positive effect of this treatment. However, optimization of this treatment is necessary, since no prolonged allograft survival was induced. Several mechanisms, which are not regulated by LPS-DexDC, may be responsible for the observed rejection, amongst which the preformed alloantibodies, increased levels of C3 in the graft and the increased influx of NK cells. Additional studies are required to explore the modulating effects of antibodies which block co-stimulation and/or short courses of immunosuppressive drugs as a co-treatment in these settings.This work was supported by the EU grants QLRT-2001-01215 LSHB-CT-2004-512090 (RISET)UBL - phd migration 201

Quantifying biomass production in floodplains along the Rhine river distributaries

Contains fulltext : 199758.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)Proceedings NCR Days 2018, Delft 8-9 February 201

Quantifying biomass production for assessing ecosystem services of riverine landscapes

Society is increasingly in need of renewable resources to replace fossil fuels and to prevent resource depletion. River-floodplain systems are known to provide important societal functions and ecosystem services to mankind, such as production of vegetative biomass. In order to determine the potential of harvesting vegetative riparian biomass, the capacity of river systems to produce such biomass needs to be determined. We developed a method for quantifying the spatiotemporal development of annual biomass production in river floodplains. Vegetation specific growth rates were linked to a landscape classification system (i.e., the Ecotope System for National Waterways). Biomass production was calculated for floodplains along the three Rhine River distributaries (i.e., the rivers Waal, Nederrijn-Lek and IJssel) over a 15 year period (1997–2012). During this period several large scale river management measures were undertaken to reduce flood risks and improve the spatial quality of the Rhine River as part of the Room for the River program. Biomass production decreased by 12%–16% from 1997 to 2012 along the three distributaries, which may be a side effect of flood mitigation. Almost 90% of the biomass produced was non-woody (e.g., grass/hay, reed, crops), which decreased along all three river distributaries due to the abandonment of production grasslands and the physical reconstruction of floodplains (e.g., creation of side channels). Woody vegetation, however, showed a slight increase during the 15 year period likely owing to vegetation succession from shrubs to softwood forest

Accelerated Antibody-Mediated Graft Loss of Rodent Pancreatic Islets After Pretreatment With Dexamethasone-Treated Immature Donor Dendritic Cells

Nephrolog

Quantifying biomass production in floodplains along the Rhine river distributaries

Contains fulltext : 199758.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)Proceedings NCR Days 2018, Delft 8-9 February 201

PRE-TREATMENT WITH DONOR TOLEROGENIC DENDRITIC CELLS RESULTS IN ANTIBODY-MEDIATED, ACCELERATED GRAFT LOSS OF RODENT PANCREATIC ISLETS

Nephrolog

PRE-TREATMENT WITH DONOR TOLEROGENIC DENDRITIC CELLS RESULTS IN ANTIBODY-MEDIATED, ACCELERATED GRAFT LOSS OF RODENT PANCREATIC ISLETS

Nephrolog