Tensor-based integration of time-series measurements reveals relationships between underlying disease, early injury, and T cell polarization in liver transplantation.

A lack of integrative analyses in liver transplantation (LT) limits understanding of relationships between immunologic signatures, time, and recipient/donor health factors in LT. In this exploratory study, we collected cytokine and liver function test measurements from LT donors and recipients at multiple pre- and postoperative timepoints. We developed a tensor-based factorization method to reduce these measurements to 4 components that manifested across cytokines, liver function tests, and time. These components associated preoperative immune signatures with immune signatures up to a month postoperation. Integration of allograft survival into this factorization reduced these 4 components to 2 associated with 5-year allograft survival. These signatures suggested that pronounced cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4+) polarization was associated with impaired growth factor expression and increased allograft loss risk. Donor and recipient age modulated this CD4+ polarization. These findings provide insights into the immunologic signatures of LT, identifying potential therapeutic avenues for future validation.