Methods and compositions for diagnosing and monitoring transplant rejection

Patent Number: 7,235,358

As science progresses to the point of inducing specific differentiation of cellular products from embryonic stem cells, the issue of allogeneic rejection will have to be dealt with. This specific patent provides various inflammatory markers that are useful for knowing when a rejection episode will occur.

By identifying when a transplanted cellular product starts undergoing rejection, it is possible to increase immune suppression so as to prevent ongoing tissue damage. Of course the patent is also applicable to conventional transplantation of solid organs.

The concept of reducing immune suppression as low as possible is very worthy of pursuit since numerous immune suppressive drugs possess a wide range of adverse effects ranging from nephrotoxicity to increased susceptibility to bacteria and cancer.

View this patent on the USPTO website.