Rituximab Rescue Therapy for Refractory Early Acute Rejection after Liver Transplantation

Rejection of a liver transplant is a rare but serious event which can be life threatening. T-cells were supposed to be the major, if not the only key player in allograft rejection. However, during recent years B-cell function has regained attention. A chimeric monoclonal antibody against CD20 protein (rituximab) successfully reversed a multi-drug resistant rejection in a liver transplant recipient. Following an uncomplicated postoperative course, the patient showed biopsy-confirmed acute rejection on postoperative day 28. Despite treatment with steroids, increased tacrolimus doses and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) the rejection could not be resolved. Repeated biopsies confirmed ongoing acute cellular rejection; however, a humoral component of rejection could not be fully excluded and rituximab treatment was initiated. Liver function showed a subsequent melioration accompanied by convalescence of the patient. No adverse side effects associated to rituximab administration were observed. Promising results with rituximab were reported for heart and kidney transplant recipients suffering from humoral rejection. To our knowledge this is the first report of a successful rescue therapy of a multi-drug-resistant liver allograft rejection with rituximab. The addition of rituximab might be a valuable option to overcome severe, multi-drug-resistant rejection, although humoral nature of rejection is not proven by histology.