Participation of RANTES and T-cell Apoptosis in Human Renal Allograft

RACCA, A; BAILAT, A; GARCÍA M.I; SOUTULLO, A; GAITE, L; MALAN BOREL, I

SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY

Blackwell Science

Lugar: Bergen - Noruega; Año: 2005 vol. 61 p. 157 - 164

0300-9475

The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum RANTES levels and the expression of CCR5, as well as the percentage of apoptotic cells, in peripheral T lymphocytes from renal transplanted patients with acute rejection (AR), chronic rejection (CR) or stable evolution (SE). RANTES serum levels were determined by ELISA and CCR5 expression, as well as the percentage of apoptotic lymphocytes, on a FACScan flow cytometer. After staining with different antibodies, cells were subjected to three-colour flow cytometric analysis. Data analysis was performed using WinMDI2.5 sofware. The serum RANTES level and percentage of CCR5/CD4 and CCR5/CD8 T lymphocytes in CR, AR and SE, were lower than in the control group (P<0.05). The level of CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes in early apoptosis was higher in AR patients than in CR, SE or C groups (P<0.05). In the case of late apoptosis the percentage of apoptotic/necrotic cells was higher in the CR than AR, SE, or C groups (P<0.05). The RANTES serum levels and the percentage of peripheral CCR5 T lymphocytes would not indicate the renal allograft state. The increase of early apoptotic T lymphocytes could be a marker of acute rejection process and could also indicate the initial step in reducing the cytotoxic T lymphocytes, thus favouring the graft evolution.