IL-17 contributes to the development of chronic rejection in a murine heart transplant model.
BACKGROUND
Although interleukin-17 (IL-17) has been reported to participate in the pathogenesis of infectious, autoimmune and allergic disorders, the precise role in allograft rejection remains uncertain. This study illustrates that IL-17 contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic allograft rejection.


RESULTS
Utilizing a murine heterotopic heart transplant model system, IL-17-deficient recipient mice had decreased allograft inflammatory cell recruitment, decreased IL-6, MCP-1, and KC production, and reduced graft coronary artery disease (GCAD). Intragraft gamma delta (gammadelta) T cells appear to be the predominant source of IL-17 production.


CONCLUSIONS
Therefore, IL-17 neutralization may provide a potential target for novel therapeutic treatment for cardiac allograft rejection.
Itoh
Satoshi
S
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Nakae
Susumu
S
Axtell
Robert C
RC
Velotta
Jeffrey B
JB
Kimura
Naoyuki
N
Kajiwara
Naoki
N
Iwakura
Yoichiro
Y
Saito
Hirohisa
H
Adachi
Hideo
H
Steinman
Lawrence
L
Robbins
Robert C
RC
Fischbein
Michael P
MP
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D015703:Antigens, CD; D020381:Interleukin-17; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta