Expression of activation markers, HLA class II and IL-2R in acute vascular rejection of human renal allografts.

Abstract

We analyzed the expression of class II antigens on graft tubular cells and the expression of IL-2R on lymphoid cells in 314 prospective aspiration biopsies taken from 30 consecutive patients with histologically verified acute vascular rejection (AVR). Based on histology, two main groups were seen: 11 grafts had features of AVR only and 19 grafts had a combination of AVR and acute cellular rejection (ACR). The AVR findings were also predominant in the latter group. In the grafts with a combination of AVR and ACR, patterns similar to ordinary ACR were seen in class II and IL-2R expression. On the contrary, no class II or IL-2R induction could be seen in the grafts with pure AVR and irreversible rejection. This pattern, demonstrated by immunocytology, suggested that AVR is a heterogenous group of rejections, where different cellular and molecular mechanisms are operating. Humoral mechanisms might be involved in these rejections.