[Change of renal graft dendritic cells in the early stage following transplantation: a dynamic observation in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the dynamic changes of dendritic cells (DCs) in the renal graft of rats within 72 h after renal transplantation.


METHODS
Using SD rats as the donors and Wistar rats as the recipients, renal transplantation was performed in 30 pairs of rats, with another 5 donor kidneys that were not transplanted serving as the sham operation group. The transplanted kidneys were harvested at 1, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after recovery of blood circulation, paraffin-embedded and sectioned ,followed by HE staining and immunohistochemical staining for S-100 protein for DC identification. The pathological changes and the DC density per glomerulus in the renal graft were observed with optical microscope.


RESULTS
No signs of acute rejection were found in these sections. Few DCs were observed in the sham operation group and in the renal graft 1 h after transplantation. The number of DCs in the renal graft increased with time and reached the maximum 24 h after transplantation followed by gradual decrease.


CONCLUSIONS
Within 72 h after renal transplantation, the number of DCs in the graft varies following a curve with a single peak. Increased DC density in the graft may result from recipient DC migration into the graft, and accordingly, decreased recipient DC migration results in decrease of DC density in the graft. The pattern of DC number variation in the graft can be helpful to further improve the therapy against graft rejection.
Lu
Jing-Bo
JB
Department of Kidney Transplantation, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. cnurology@sohu.com
Yu
Li-Xin
LX
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000276:immunology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors