Immunohistochemical analyses of skin graft rejection in mice. Kinetics of lymphocyte infiltration in grafts of limited immunogenetic disparity.
We have examined the nature and kinetics of T cell infiltration into murine first-set skin allografts across a variety of histocompatibility differences. Both Ly 1+2- and Ly 2+ cells migrate into grafts that differ with respect to discrete class I, class II, or minor H barriers. The lymphoid cells in the allograft did not express MEL 14 or the B cell antigen B220. The cells in the graft progress from the vascular anastomosis region into the dermis with apparent homing and clustering about hair follicles and epithelial cells at the dermoepidermal junction. Microscopic necroses appear in a patchy distribution in these areas. The intensity of the infiltrate is related to the nature of the alloantigen recognized but it does not correlate with the tempo of rejection. Class II-disparate allografts evoke a peak response (mean 62 +/- 34 T cells/0.1 mm2) that is 2-6-fold greater than class I-disparate allografts or syngeneic control peak responses (mean 14 +/- 2.4 T cells/0.1 mm2). Although a difference at a minor H antigen evoked an intense peak T cell response (192 +/- 33 T cells/0.1 mm2), the mean survival time of the allografts was significantly longer than that observed with class I or class II differences. The IL-2 receptor+ subset of activated T cells is extremely rare in syngeneic grafts, but ranges from 0 to 56% of infiltrating T cells in allografts. We conclude that all major T cell subsets contribute to the in situ response to all classes of alloantigens, but at the apparent exclusion of the MEL 14+ T cell pool and B cells.
Mayer
T G
TG
Transplantation Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02114.
Bhan
A K
AK
Winn
H J
HJ
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006182:H-Y Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009336:Necrosis; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D006182:H-Y Antigen; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens