Gamma delta T cells play no major role in human heart allograft rejection

Transplantation. 1995 Nov 15;60(9):980-4.

Abstract

To investigate the role of gamma delta T cells in human heart transplantation, we searched for this T cell population in endomyocardial biopsies as well as in T cell lines and clones derived from graft-infiltrating lymphocytes. The number of gamma delta T cells in endomyocardial biopsies from transplanted patients (n = 55) was mostly low and did not differ significantly from nontransplanted patients (n = 21). Moreover, there was no association of gamma delta T cell distribution with rejection status or with time posttransplantation. Graft-derived T cell lines were established in the presence of autologous feeder cells and recombinant interleukin-2 to favor the growth of in vivo-activated T cells. Twenty T cell lines analyzed by flow cytometry showed low percentages of gamma delta T cells, and we were unable to obtain gamma delta T cell clones for functional studies. These results show that gamma delta T cells are poorly expressed on human heart allograft infiltrates and indicate that, when present, they are not activated in the graft. Our data suggest that gamma delta T cells do not have a major role in human heart rejection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, CD / analysis
  • Biopsy
  • Cell Line
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Graft Rejection / immunology*
  • Graft Rejection / pathology
  • Heart Transplantation / immunology*
  • Heart Transplantation / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Transplantation, Homologous

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta