Allergic disease after pediatric liver transplantation with systemic tacrolimus and cyclosporine a therapy

Cyclosporine A (CsA) and tacrolimus (Tac), both calcineurin inhibitors, have been used extensively for immunosuppressive therapy in pediatric liver transplant recipients. They share a similar mechanism of action, the inhibition of cytokine gene transcription primarily interleukin-2 (IL-2) in T lymphocytes. Despite the strong immunosuppressive property, there are several reports of food allergy in pediatric transplant recipients under Tac immunosuppression, but not CsA. In this paper we report on 3 of 50 pediatric liver transplant recipients diagnosed with food allergy and asthma while receiving systemic Tac/CsA immunosupression and the discuss the role of calcineurin inhibitors in this situation.