Acute Rejection Correlates with Expression of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Antigens on Peripheral Blood CD3+CD8+ T-Lymphocytes following Skin Transplantation in Mice

Abstract

This study investigated major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) antigen expression on peripheral blood T-cells after transplantation to assess its potential as an early marker of acute graft rejection (AGR). Using a mouse model with or without immunosuppressive treatment, the expression of MHC-I antigens on CD3+CD8+ T-lymphocytes was assessed by flow cytometry following syngeneic graft ( n = 138) or allograft ( n = 138) skin transplantation. The occurrence of AGR was assessed by examining the degree of lymphocyte and monocyte infiltration in transplant biopsies. During AGR, expression of MHC-I antigens increased significantly compared with pre-transplant levels in the allograft group, even with immunosuppressive treatment. The highest expression of MHC-I antigens occurred 5 – 6 days before macroscopic rejection. These results suggest that expression of MHC-I antigens on peripheral blood CD3+CD8+ T-lymphocytes could be used as an early marker for predicting AGR.