Natural killer cells in peripheral blood and lung tissue are associated with chronic rejection after lung transplantation.

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells have the capacity to recognize and respond to alloantigen, yet their role in lung transplant rejection is not well defined. The aim of this study was to correlate NK cell numbers and immunophenotype in peripheral blood and tissue with graft function after lung transplantation.

Methods: NK cell subsets were immunophenotyped in peripheral blood (n = 41).