Upregulation of CD40, CD80, CD83 or CD86 on alveolar macrophages after lung transplantation.

Background: Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are known to be poor antigen-presenting cells, and lack the accessory molecules such as CD40, CD80 or CD86 to activate T cells. The question raised is about the potential changes in phenotypes after lung transplantation, particularly during acute rejection episodes.

Methods: The present study analyzed the phenotype of AMs longitudinally in 45 lung transplant patients, between August 1997 and April 2002, with a follow-up period of 27.