title: Skin and kidney histological changes in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after kidney transplantation.
abstract: Kidney transplantation (Ktx) is generally performed during end stage renal disease due to a loss of the kidneys' ability to filter wastes from the circulatory system. Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after Ktx is a life-threatening complication that progresses to organ failure, systemic complications, and death. The current study evaluated the significance of histologic findings of GVHD as obtained from skin biopsies following Ktx in swine. A swine model of Ktx with tacrolimus-based immunosuppression was used to assess possible correlations between acute-graft-cellular rejection and skin histological findings for prediction of GVHD. Animals were divided into a Ktx treatment group or a control group with no Ktx and skin and kidney biopsies were histologically assessed at postoperative days 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60. Skin samples were analyzed and classified from grade 1 to 4 of skin GVHD and the major histopathological changes of kidney acute cellular rejection were described using Banff's score system. We observed a significant linear correlation between the histological grading values of skin biopsy changes and the histological grading values of kidney biopsies (Kendall's tau_b=0.993) in the Ktx experimental group. No histological changes were observed in controls. Our findings demonstrate the diagnostic value of staging skin GVHD after Ktx and suggest it's future utility for monitoring long term Ktx-induced changes.
authors: Abdominal Surgery Department, University Medical Centre of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors: Tadeja
authors: T
authors: Pintar
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Alessiani
authors: Alojz
authors: A
authors: Pleskovič
authors: Aleš
authors: A
authors: Pleskovič
authors: Ruda
authors: R
authors: Zorc-Pleskovič
authors: Aleksandra
authors: A
authors: Milutinović
references: Blood. 2005 Aug 15;106(4):1495-500
references: 15878974
references: Transplantation. 1996 Sep 15;62(5):563-7
references: 8830816
references: Arch Histol Cytol. 1995 Jun;58(2):151-9
references: 7576867
references: Kidney Int. 2002 Aug;62(2):704-14
references: 12110036
references: Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2008 Jan-Feb;40(1):48-54
references: 17827036
references: Clin Transplant. 2000 Apr;14(2):174-7
references: 10770425
references: Acta Vet Hung. 2007 Dec;55(4):533-41
references: 18277712
references: Transplantation. 2000 Jan 15;69(1):10-6
references: 10653372
references: Am J Transplant. 2002 Mar;2(3):195-200
references: 12096779
references: Bosn J Basic Med Sci. 2009 May;9(2):156-60
references: 19485949
references: Transpl Int. 2003 May;16(5):327-35
references: 12759724
references: Am J Clin Pathol. 2003 Apr;119(4):568-73
references: 12710129
references: Minerva Chir. 2003 Oct;58(5):755-67
references: 14603154
references: Am J Transplant. 2004 Sep;4(9):1459-65
references: 15307833
references: J Surg Res. 2005 Apr;124(2):250-5
references: 15820255
references: Transplant Proc. 2000 Sep;32(6):1315
references: 10995963
references: Eur J Pediatr Surg. 2007 Dec;17(6):412-5
references: 18072027
references: Bosn J Basic Med Sci. 2005 May;5(2):43-8
references: 16053454
references: Cardiovasc Pathol. 2003 Jan-Feb;12(1):36-9
references: 12598016
references: Dan Med Bull. 2007 May;54(2):112-39
references: 17521527
references: Bosn J Basic Med Sci. 2010 Feb;10(1):73-7
references: 20192936
references: Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2006 Sep;21(9):2656-9
references: 16627604