We studied the reactivity of cardiac graft-infiltrating cells, cultured from endomyocardial biopsy specimens, toward heart endothelial cells (Hec). In two cases, Hec derived from the specific donor heart or Hec compatible with the donor were lysed, but not the syngeneic B cell line. A vessel-derived endothelial cell line was not lysed. Panel studies suggest that the epitopes recognized are, in one case, a Hec-specific peptide presented in the context of HLA-Bw41 and, in the other case, a Hec-specific peptide presented by a subtype of HLA-B44. In conclusion, we showed that cardiac graft-infiltrating cells cultured from endomyocardial biopsy specimens can exhibit cytotoxic reactivity specifically directed against HLA-peptide complexes on Hec.
Endothelial cells may be involved in the acute rejection of allografts. In the present study, graft infiltrating lymphoid cell lines were propagated from a heart graft at the time of histological diagnosis of rejection. The cell lines containing CDS+ cells lysed donor-derived BLCL and endothelial cells (EC) but not third party BLCL or random EC, suggesting that HLA antigens were recognized. The cell lines containing CD4 + cells only did not lrse any target cells. The lysis of EC without preincubation with gamma interferon (giFN) indicated that the HLA antigens recognized were class I antigens. These results suggested that lysis of donor EC may be one of the mechanisms involved in rejection.
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