title: Decreased expression of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on monocytes is found in open-heart surgery related immunosuppression.
abstract: The expression of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on monocytes and the relative proportion of immunoregulatory lymphocyte subpopulations were studied from the blood of eight patients undergoing a cardiac operation. The aim of the study was to reveal mechanisms responsible for depression of cellular immunity and B-lymphocyte activation associated with open-heart surgery. A decreased staining of HLA-DR and even more of HLA-DQ class II MHC molecules was found on the monocyte surface in samples taken 2 and 7 days after operation when compared to preoperative values. The relative proportion of monocytes in mononuclear cells increased after surgery, but within lymphocyte subpopulations only a decrease in total T cells and an increased number of activated (HLA-DR positive) T cells were found, whereas the rations between various T cells subsets remained relatively stable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ryhänen
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Surcel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ilonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000235:genetics*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets