title: Ingraft chimerism in lung transplantation--a study in a porcine model of obliterative bronchiolitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bronchial epithelium is a target of the alloimmune response in lung transplantation, and intact epithelium may protect allografts from rejection and obliterative bronchiolitis (OB). Herein we study the influence of chimerism on bronchial epithelium and OB development in pigs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 54 immunosuppressed and unimmunosuppressed bronchial allografts were serially obtained 2-90 days after transplantation. Histology (H&E) was assessed and the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method for Y chromosomes using pig-specific DNA-label was used to detect recipient derived cells in graft epithelium and bronchial wall, and donor cell migration to recipient organs. Ingraft chimerism was studied by using male recipients with female donors, whereas donor cell migration to recipient organs was studied using female recipients with male donors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Early appearance of recipient-derived cells in the airway epithelium appeared predictive of epithelial destruction (R=0.610-0.671 and p<0.05) and of obliteration of the bronchial lumen (R=0.698 and p<0.01). All allografts with preserved epithelium showed epithelial chimerism throughout the follow-up. Antirejection medication did not prevent, but delayed the appearance of Y chromosome positive cells in the epithelium (p<0.05), or bronchial wall (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study we demonstrate that early appearance of Y chromosomes in the airway epithelium predicts features characteristic of OB. Chimerism occurred in all allografts, including those without features of OB. Therefore we suggest that ingraft chimerism may be a mechanism involved in the repair of alloimmune-mediated tissue injury after transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 340, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland. outi.paivaniemi@fimnet.fi
authors.forename: Outi E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Päiväniemi
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Musilova
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Raivio
authors.forename: Paula K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Maasilta
authors.forename: Hanni S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Alho
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rubes
authors.forename: Kristiina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aittomäki
authors.forename: Ulla-Stina
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Salminen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001980:Bronchi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D001989:Bronchiolitis Obliterans / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002465:Cell Movement; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013997:Time Factors; D018183:Transplantation Chimera; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014998:Y Chromosome
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents