[Histological and immunohistological investigations of acute rejection of the allografted rat lung].
In allografted rat lungs during acute rejection we studied mode of mononuclear cell infiltration histologically, and changes in the relative proportion of T cell subsets immunohistochemically. Orthotopic lung transplantations were performed in PT1-incompatible rat strains (n = 37). The transplanted rat lungs were examined using H-E staining and immunohistochemical staining with antirat-lymphocyte monoclonal antibody. Histological investigation showed the site of mononuclear cell infiltration shifted rapidly from larger vessels to smaller vessels, and finally to alveolar region within three days. Immunohistochemically, helper T cells were more abundant than cytotoxic-suppressor T cells until day 3. However, the ratio of helper to cytotoxic-suppressor T cells were reversed on day 4 when cytotoxic-suppressor T cells were most abundant. This rapid change in the proportion of T cell subsets has not been reported for other organ transplants. Why lung allografts are rejected more rapidly than other organs may be explained by the sudden change in T cell subsets together with the rapid shift in the site of cellular infiltration.
Yamamoto
R
R
Department of Surgery, Osaka City University Medical School, Japan.
Inoue
K
K
Kishi
A
A
Kinoshita
H
H
D000818:Animals; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000276:immunology