Expression patterns of CD56+ and CD16+ cells in renal transplant biopsies with acute rejection: Associations with microcirculation injuries and graft survival.

Abstract

The study investigated whether immunohistochemical features of interstitial and glomerular CD56 and CD16 infiltrates - NK cells markers - could be associated with microcirculation injury scores - peritubular capillaritis (ptc) and glomerulitis (g) - and graft survival. The research analyzed the immunohistochemical pattern of CD56 and CD16 in interstitial and glomerular compartments of biopsies for-cause biopsies from 59 recipients diagnosed with acute rejection (mean = 135.5 days post-transplant). Interstitial CD56+ cells had an increased expression for glomerulitis (g ≥ 1) (P = 0.02) and peritubular capillaritis (ptc ≥ 2) (P = 0.003) presence. It was noted that interstitial CD56 + cells with mean above 0.56 cells/mm2 had worse allograft survival. CD56+ cells in the interstitial compartment with mean less than or equal to 0.56cells/mm2 was related with absence or mild peritubular capillaritis (P = 0.012) and mean above 0.56 cells/mm2 , respectively, with glomerulitis (P = 0.002) presence. Interstitial CD16 cells showed greater positive results in relation to peritubular capillaritis (P = 0.0001) cases. Similarly, it was observed that glomerular CD16+ cells had higher positive results in glomerulitis (P = 0.009) presence. The study findings showed that CD56+ cell infiltrated in the interstitial compartment was significantly associated with microcirculation injury scores, especially the glomerulitis, and graft survival.