Open AccessBronchoalveolar Immunologic Profile of Acute Human Lung Transplant Allograft Rejection
Author(s) -
Aric L. Gregson,
Aki Hoji,
Rajan Saggar,
David Ross,
B. Kubak,
Beth D. Jamieson,
S. Samuel Weigt,
Joseph P. Lynch,
A. Ardehali,
John A. Belperio,
Otto O. Yang
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.45
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1534-6080
pISSN - 0041-1337
DOI - 10.1097/tp.0b013e318169bd85
Subject(s) - medicine , lung , graft rejection , lung transplantation , bronchoalveolar lavage , immunology , human lung , transplantation
Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) offers a potential means to diagnose acute rejection and could provide insight into the immune mechanisms responsible for lung allograft rejection. Transbronchial biopsies from 29 bronchoscopic procedures were assessed for rejection. Concurrent BALF lymphocyte subsets were examined by flow cytometry, including CD4 and CD8 T cells and their activation status by CD38 expression, natural killer (NK), NK-like T (NT), B, regulatory T, and invariant receptor NK-T cells. Percentages of CD4 were reduced, and CD8 and activation of CD4 T cells correlated with rejection. There were trends for increased NT, reduced NK, and increased B cell percentages with rejection, suggesting potential roles of these cells. Among regulatory cells, the percentages of regulatory T cells decreased and CD4/CD8 invariant NK-T cells increased during rejection, suggesting a proinflammatory profile. A unique BALF lymphocyte profile was associated with rejection and may provide insight into the pathogenesis of allograft rejection.