Lung Transplantation

Lung transplantation is the definitive treatment for a variety of life-threatening lung diseases including emphysema, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), cystic fibrosis and other deadly lung diseases. There were 2,672 lung transplants performed worldwide in 2007 with 1,662 (62 percent) occurring in North America. In spite of aggressive immunosuppressant therapy, the five-year survival rate following lung transplantation is only 50 percent, nearly the worst of all solid organ transplants.

Autoimmunity in Lung Transplantation

Lung transplantation is an established treatment for many end-stage pulmonary diseases. However, chronic rejection, the pathologic entity known as obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) or the clinical correlate, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), is the major impediment to the long-term survival of lung transplant patients. Although the main risks factors for the development of BOS have been debated, ImmuneWorks founder David Wilkes, MD, has reported that cellular immune responses to Type V Collagen – col(V) – is the major risk factor associated with the onset of BOS. These data and reports from ImmuneWorks’ laboratory and other investigators demonstrate the immunopathogenesis of lung transplant rejection involves both alloimmunity (anti-donor) and autoimmunity to col(V).

Immune tolerance has not yet been shown to prevent or reduce the occurrence of lung transplant rejections in humans.