Implication of soluble and membrane HLA class I and serum IL-10 in liver graft acceptance.
Membrane HLA class-I expression (mHLA-I), soluble HLA class-I antigens (sHLA-I) and interleukin (IL)-10 are different factors implicated in the special acceptance of liver allograft. In this study, pre- and post-operative levels of mHLA-I in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and serum sHLA-I were analyzed in 86 liver transplants, immunosuppressed with Cyclosporine-A, methylprednisolone and azathioprine, and classified into acute-rejection (AR, n = 28) and non-acute-rejection (NAR, n = 58) groups. Serum IL-10 was studied in 47 recipients (AR-group, n = 16 and NAR-group, n = 31). Pre-transplant values of mHLA-I and sHLA-I showed a bimodal distribution (high/low) in NAR-recipients, but in AR-patients were mainly included in the low expression/secretion zone (mHLA-I, p < 0.02 and sHLA-I, p < 0.05). Consequently, average pre-transplant mHLA-I (868 +/- 109 versus 998 +/- 123, p < 0.05) and sHLA-I (1.3 +/- 0.4 versus 2.02 +/- 0.7 microg/ml, p < 0.01) was lower in the AR- than in the NAR-group. After transplant both parameters decreased in the NAR-group, but increased in AR-recipients previous to and on rejection diagnosis day. Additionally, serum IL-10 levels were significantly higher (p < 0.01) in the NAR than in the AR-group during the first 24 h post-transplant. In conclusion, low pre-transplant mHLA-I and sHLA-I levels pre-dispose liver recipients to acute rejection, whereas early post-transplant increases of serum IL-10 appear to be related to a good liver allograft acceptance.
Section of Immunology, University Hospital Virgen-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain.
A
A
Minguela
A
A
Torío
L
L
Marín
M
M
Muro
L M
LM
Villar
J
J
Díaz
P
P
Ramírez
P
P
Parrilla
A M
AM
García-Alonso
M R
MR
Alvarez-López
D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012995:Solubility
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D016753:Interleukin-10