title: Restricted T cell V beta repertoire in renal allografts during acute and chronic rejection.
abstract: Allo-MHC specific antigen recognition might not only be involved in acute, but also in chronic rejection. The clonotypic specificity of the T-cell receptor to recognize all-MHC is located in the variable (V) alpha and beta chain. A restricted T-cell receptor repertoire could support an immunological basis for chronic rejection. The novel feature of this study is that V beta repertoire was assessed in ongoing chronic rejection before end-stage renal failure and in acute rejection. V beta s 1 to 20 were quantitated by PCR in PBMC and biopsies of rejecting renal allografts. The V beta pattern in PBMC demonstrated a polyclonal distribution. However, the intragraft V beta repertoire was restricted to 1 to 3 dominant V betas and highly individual in 9 of 12 patients. Number and type of the HLA mismatch and the time interval between transplantation and biopsy did not correlate to the V beta distribution. The individual response is attributed to genetic predisposition factors of the recipient. Therefore, the restriction of the V beta repertoire indicates allo-MHC dependent immune processes not only in acute, but also in ongoing chronic rejection. Tailor-made antibodies against dominant V betas might offer specific individual immunosuppression in treating both acute and ongoing chronic rejection.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik IV, University Hospital, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Von Menges
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zanker
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lammerding
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stachowski
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Baldamus
mesh_terms: D006084:Graft Rejection; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta