Phenotypic and functional analysis of T cell receptor gamma delta-bearing cells isolated from human heart allografts.
Endomyocardial biopsies from human heart transplant recipients were investigated with respect to the occurrence of in vivo activated, alloreactive TCR-gamma delta+ cells. More than one year after transplantation, 30% of the biopsy-derived T cell cultures contained TCR-gamma delta+ cells, whereas in the first year after heart transplant in only 8% of the culture TCR-gamma delta+ cells were found. Such an increase of TCR-gamma delta+ cells was not observed in the peripheral blood of the patient. In most biopsy-derived cultures, the gamma delta cells were delta-TCS1+. No donor-specific cytotoxic activity could be demonstrated for TCR-gamma delta+ cells tested, whereas non-MHC-restricted cytotoxicity was found in several cultures. The occurrence of nonalloreactive TCR-gamma delta+ cells late after transplantation, when acute cellular rejection episodes are rare, suggests a role in the down-regulation of the allo-Ir.
Vaessen
L M
LM
Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Rotterdam-Dijkzigt, The Netherlands.
Ouwehand
A J
AJ
Baan
C C
CC
Jutte
N H
NH
Balk
A H
AH
Claas
F H
FH
Weimar
W
W
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000276:immunology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D013997:Time Factors
D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta