The clinical significance of antibodies to human vascular endothelial cells after cardiac transplantation.

Background: Vascular endothelial cells are primary targets for injury during both cellular and humoral allograft rejection (AR). In cardiac transplantation, the role of humoral immunity in mediating AR has not been extensively characterized.

Methods: Antibodies against human vascular endothelial cells (AECA) were measured using a cellular ELISA developed from human umbilical vein endothelial cells in 80 consecutive patients after cardiac transplantation.

Cytomegalovirus infection induces anti-endothelial cell antibodies in cardiac and renal allograft recipients.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection represents a significant morbidity factor for transplant recipients. CMV infection has an association with the development of allograft rejection (AR) through graft endothelial cell (EC) damage, but the mechanisms are not yet clear. There are few reports addressing the role of humoral immunity in vascular EC injury mediated by CMV infection whereas many reports are available regarding the mechanism(s) of CMV-associated allograft EC injury mediated by cellular immunity.

Correlation of cytomegalovirus DNA levels with response to antiviral therapy in cardiac and renal allograft recipients.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection represents a significant morbidity factor for transplant recipients. A rapid, sensitive, specific, and reliable test is desirable for early detection of CMV infection and for monitoring the efficacy of antiviral therapy.

Methods: We examined the incidence of CMV infection in 95 cardiac and 25 renal allograft recipients followed for up to 3 years using qualitative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques.

Selective expression of the interleukin-2 gene discriminates between the auto- and allo-mixed lymphocyte reaction.

The in vitro mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) is a useful model to study alloresponsiveness to histocompatibility antigens. Secretion of different cytokine proteins in the supernatant of allo-MLR cultures has been reported in a few studies with no reference to results in auto-MLR. Since most cytokines are autocrine factors, their levels in the supernatant may not reflect the actual intracellular production.

Immunologic monitoring of OKT3 induction therapy in cardiac allograft recipients.

OKT3 induction therapy was monitored in 31 cardiac allograft recipients during the 1st year posttransplant. Serum level of OKT3, anti-OKT3 antibodies, and interleukin-2 (IL-2) were monitored during the first 2 months posttransplant. These values were retrospectively correlated with allograft rejection episodes which occurred during the 1st year posttransplant and allograft survival rates over a 3-year observation period.