Donor-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Combined With Low-Dose Tacrolimus Prevent Acute Rejection After Renal Transplantation

Background The deleterious side effects of calcineurin inhibitors have impaired long-term survival after renal allograft. New immunotherapy regimens that minimize or even eliminate calcineurin inhibitors are required to improve transplantation outcome. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a unique cell population with immunosuppressive function and prolong allograft survival in experimental organ transplant models. Methods In this pilot...