Abstract
Non-classical MHC-class I antigens encoded by rat RT1.C region genes have been demonstrated to have a strong in vitro and in vivo potential to trigger natural killer (NK) cell activity. 1,2 NK cells comprise a unique entity of lymphocytes that act as an important effector arm of the innate immune response. Nevertheless, NK cells distinguish non-self MHC-class I molecules on target cells in an allospecific fashion. 3 Target cell recognition of non-self MHC-class I molecules encoded by the RTI.C-locus of the RT1 gene complex induces activation of NK cells without the need of a prior sensitization process, an immune mechanism also referred to as allogeneic lymphocyte cytotoxicity (ALC). 4 By virtue of its vast mass of lymphatic tissue, heterotopic small bowel transplantation (SBTx) was performed between intra-MHC class I recombinant inbred rat strains, differing only at the RT1.C-locus, in order to show the impact of NK-related immune responses for this model of solid organ transplantation.
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