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CN 22-1108/R
Volume 42 Issue 9
Sep.  2026
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Article Navigation >  Journal of Clinical Hepatology  > 2026  >  42(9): 2242-2250

Immune rejection and tolerance in liver transplantation: From traditional immunosuppression to mesenchymal stem cell therapy

DOI: 10.12449/JCH260933
  • 1.

    The First Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University，Taiyuan 030000，China

  • 2.

    Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center，The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University，Taiyuan 030000，China

Research funding:

Shanxi Provincial Natural Science Foundation (20210302123255)

More Information
  • Corresponding author: Zhang Rui， zhr2992@outlook.com （ORCID： 0000-0002-1078-1467）
  • Received Date: 2026-01-11
  • Accepted Date: 2026-05-07
  • Published Date: 2026-09-25
    Abstract
  • Immune rejection following liver transplantation is a critical factor affecting long-term graft survival. While traditional immunosuppressive regimens based on calcineurin inhibitors are effective， they are often accompanied by long-term side effects， making the induction of immune tolerance an important goal. This article systematically reviews the mechanisms of immune rejection following liver transplantation and the limitations of current drugs， with a focus on the potential of mesenchymal stem cells （MSCs） as a novel strategy for inducing immune tolerance. Preliminary clinical trials have confirmed that MSC infusion has a favorable safety profile and shows an immunomodulatory effect； however， there are still multiple challenges regarding the timing of infusion， cell source， dosage， and synergy with conventional regimens. Large-scale clinical trials are needed in the future to further validate their long-term efficacy and safety， and MSC therapy is expected to become a new direction for immune management in liver transplantation.

     

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