Rheumatoid course of humoral (vascular) rejection after heart allotransplantation.

Analysis of planned endomyocardial biopsy specimens of heart allotransplants from 22 recipients revealed signs of humoral type rejection (slight, medium, and severe) presenting as fixation of IgG, IgM, and complement components (C3, C4d) in 61 of 63 sections. Permanent presence of rejection signs attests to rheumatoid course of this process.

Immunohistochemical Investigation of the Heart Allograft Myocardium (1991-1998).

What is a contribution of the humoral (vascular) and mixed type of the rejection episodes to all the episodes of heart allograft rejection is not quite clear, though this factor is of considerable importance for the choice of the treatment methods. The hearts from recipients, as well as endomyocardial biopsies of the heart allografts and postmortem material were investigated with the aim to determine the immunopathological process. Overall, 420 samples from 80 patients were analyzed.

Evidence for antibody and immune-complex deposition in heart transplantation: a report of three cases.

Immunofluorescence microscopy of endomyocardial biopsy specimens from heart allograft recipients identified immunopathologic changes in three of 17 patients. These changes included immunoglobulin G and complement C3 deposition in tissue structures such as capillary endothelium and basal membranes, cardiomyocyte sarcolemma, and interstitial tissue. Moreover, the immunopathologic changes could be correlated with acute cellular rejection episodes evidenced by endomyocardial biopsy criteria.

Hetero-organic thymus antigens.

The use of sera containing antibodies to tissue-specific antigens of highly specialized organs (skeletal muscles, heart, skin, excretory glands) enabled us to detect, by immunofluorescence, cells capable of synthesizing analogous antigens (i.e. hetero-organic thymus antigens) in human and animal thymus.

Detection of squamous epithelial intercellular substance antigen(s) in Hassall's corpuscles of human and animal thymus.

Using pemphigus sera containing high titres (1:1000) of non-species-specific antibodies to tissue-specific intercellular substance (ICS) antigen(s) of cover stratified epithelia (skin, oesophagus, vagina and so forth), we detected analogous antigen(s) by immunofluorescence in the ICS of the epithelium of Hassall's corpuscles of human and animal thymus. The results obtained, together with well-known data from histological and embryological studies, confirm the histogenetic relationship of the epithelium of thymus corpuscles and cover epithelia of ectodermal origin. ICS antigen(s) is related to the series of hetero-organic antigens, which probably take part in the natural immunological tolerance formation to the antigens of the organism's own tissues.

A cross-reactive antigen of thymus and skin epithelial cells common with the polysaccharide of group A streptococci.

Investigation of antibodies to the specific determinant of streptococcal group A polysaccharide in indirect immunofluorescence experiments has revealed the existence of a cross-reactive antigen in the epithelial cells of the thymus and skin. This CR antigen is contained by the epithelial cells of man and animals of different species. It has been demonstrated in all the individuals studied including animals producing antibodies to the polysaccharide of Group A streptococci.

Reaction of thymus epithelial cells with antibodies to group A streptococcal polysaccharide.

Immunofluorescence studies show that thymus epithelial cells react with antibodies to group A streptococcal polysaccharide.