Human cardiac allograft rejection. Correlation of grading with expression of different monocyte/macrophage markers.
Endomyocardial biopsies from human cardiac allografts were investigated with the use of immunohistochemical methods. A correlation between the different degrees of rejection reaction and subtypes of monocyte/macrophage infiltrates was established. Early and mild rejection is characterized by recently immigrated monocytes/macrophages positive for the monoclonal antibody Ki-M1. In contrast, the cellular infiltrates in severe and resolving rejection show strong expression of antigens recognized by Ki-M6 and Ki-M8, indicating increased phagocytotic function of monocytes/macrophages. The immunohistochemical assessment of monocytes/macrophages can thus be used, in addition to conventional histology, in the diagnosis of cardiac allograft rejection.
Department of Pathology, University of Kiel, Federal Republic of Germany.
A M
AM
Gassel
M L
ML
Hansmann
H J
HJ
Radzun
M
M
Weyand
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015415:Biomarkers; D001706:Biopsy; D006084:Graft Rejection; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015415:Biomarkers