TY - JOUR
T1 - Intravascular macrophages in cardiac allograft biopsies for diagnosis of early and late antibody-mediated rejection
AU - Fedrigo, Marny
AU - Feltrin, Giuseppe
AU - Poli, Francesca
AU - Chiara Frigo, Anna
AU - Benazzi, Elena
AU - Gambino, Antonio
AU - Tona, Francesco
AU - Caforio, Alida L P
AU - Castellani, Chiara
AU - Toscano, Giuseppe
AU - Gerosa, Gino
AU - Thiene, Gaetano
AU - Angelini, Annalisa
PY - 2013/4
Y1 - 2013/4
N2 - Background: The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of intravascular macrophages in the diagnosis of early and late antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) on endomyocardial biopsies (EMBs). Methods: We reviewed 1,420 consecutive EMBs from 131 patients and selected 75 C4d+ EMBs. The C4d+ group was compared with a control group (66 patients) matched for age, gender, date of transplantation, follow-up, immunosuppressive regimen and primary heart disease. A total of 141 EMBs were evaluated. Immunoperoxidase staining for C4d and CD68 were performed. Post-transplant IgG anti-HLA reactivity was investigated by Luminex technology. Clinical data were also collected. Fourteen EMBs were available from 11 symptomatic AMR patients. Results: Of the 141 EMBs evaluated, 53 were positive for intravascular macrophages (CD68); among them, 32 were also positive for C4d (32 of 53, 60.4%). Of the 88 CD68- EMBs, 43 were also C4d+ (43 of 88, 48.9%). Of the 53 CD68+ EMBs, 30 EMBs were within the first year since transplantation (30 of 53, 57.8%), and among these 21 were also positive for C4d (21 of 30, 70.0%). In the late period, among the 23 CD68+ EMBs (23 of 53, 42.2%) 11 were also positive for C4d (11 of 23, 47.8%). In the early period, intravascular macrophages were more common in symptomatic (3 of 3, 100%) than asymptomatic (3 of 11, 27.3%) patients. Sensitivity and specificity of intravascular macrophages in predicting donor-specific antibodies (DSA) within the first year were 50.0% and 100.0%, respectively. Conclusions: Intravascular macrophages predict C4d, DSA and symptoms early after transplantation; however, in the late period, they are unable to identify patients with circulating DSA, C4d and/or symptoms.
AB - Background: The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of intravascular macrophages in the diagnosis of early and late antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) on endomyocardial biopsies (EMBs). Methods: We reviewed 1,420 consecutive EMBs from 131 patients and selected 75 C4d+ EMBs. The C4d+ group was compared with a control group (66 patients) matched for age, gender, date of transplantation, follow-up, immunosuppressive regimen and primary heart disease. A total of 141 EMBs were evaluated. Immunoperoxidase staining for C4d and CD68 were performed. Post-transplant IgG anti-HLA reactivity was investigated by Luminex technology. Clinical data were also collected. Fourteen EMBs were available from 11 symptomatic AMR patients. Results: Of the 141 EMBs evaluated, 53 were positive for intravascular macrophages (CD68); among them, 32 were also positive for C4d (32 of 53, 60.4%). Of the 88 CD68- EMBs, 43 were also C4d+ (43 of 88, 48.9%). Of the 53 CD68+ EMBs, 30 EMBs were within the first year since transplantation (30 of 53, 57.8%), and among these 21 were also positive for C4d (21 of 30, 70.0%). In the late period, among the 23 CD68+ EMBs (23 of 53, 42.2%) 11 were also positive for C4d (11 of 23, 47.8%). In the early period, intravascular macrophages were more common in symptomatic (3 of 3, 100%) than asymptomatic (3 of 11, 27.3%) patients. Sensitivity and specificity of intravascular macrophages in predicting donor-specific antibodies (DSA) within the first year were 50.0% and 100.0%, respectively. Conclusions: Intravascular macrophages predict C4d, DSA and symptoms early after transplantation; however, in the late period, they are unable to identify patients with circulating DSA, C4d and/or symptoms.
KW - anti-HLA antibodies
KW - antibody-mediated rejection
KW - C4d
KW - heart transplantation
KW - immunohistochemistry
KW - intravascular macrophages
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U2 - 10.1016/j.healun.2012.12.017
DO - 10.1016/j.healun.2012.12.017
M3 - Article
C2 - 23498161
AN - SCOPUS:84875148619
VL - 32
SP - 404
EP - 409
JO - Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
JF - Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
SN - 1053-2498
IS - 4
ER -