OBJECTIVE: To assess whether diastolic graft function is influenced by intragraft interleukin 2 (IL-2) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in rejecting cardiac allografts. DESIGN: 16 recipients of cardiac allografts were monitored during the first three months after transplantation. The presence of IL-2 mRNA in endomyocardial biopsies (n = 123) was measured by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. To determine heart function, concurrent M mode and two dimensional Doppler echocardiograms were analysed. RESULTS: Histological signs of acute rejection (International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) rejection grade > 2) were strongly associated with IL-2 mRNA expression (IL-2 mRNA was present in 12 of 20 endomyocardial biopsies (60%) with acute rejection and in 24 of 103 endomyocardial biopsies (23%) without acute rejection, p = 0.002). No significant relation was found between either histology or IL-2 mRNA expression alone and the studied echocardiographic parameters. However, stratification of the echocardiographic data into those of patients with and those without acute rejection showed that during acute rejection IL-2 mRNA expression was significantly associated with increased left ventricular total wall thickness (mean change in total wall thickness was +0.22 cm in patients with IL-2 mRNA expression versus -0.18 cm in patients without IL-2 mRNA expression, p = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: An increase in left ventricular total wall thickness precedes IL-2 positive acute rejection after heart transplantation. Thus, cardiac allograft rejection accompanied by intragraft IL-2 mRNA expression may be indicative of more severe rejection episodes.
OBJECTIVE: To assess whether diastolic graft function is influenced by intragraft interleukin 2 (IL-2) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in rejecting cardiac allografts. DESIGN: 16 recipients of cardiac allografts were monitored during the first three months after transplantation. The presence of IL-2 mRNA in endomyocardial biopsies (n = 123) was measured by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. To determine heart function, concurrent M mode and two dimensional Doppler echocardiograms were analysed. RESULTS: Histological signs of acute rejection (International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) rejection grade > 2) were strongly associated with IL-2 mRNA expression (IL-2 mRNA was present in 12 of 20 endomyocardial biopsies (60%) with acute rejection and in 24 of 103 endomyocardial biopsies (23%) without acute rejection, p = 0.002). No significant relation was found between either histology or IL-2 mRNA expression alone and the studied echocardiographic parameters. However, stratification of the echocardiographic data into those of patients with and those without acute rejection showed that during acute rejection IL-2 mRNA expression was significantly associated with increased left ventricular total wall thickness (mean change in total wall thickness was +0.22 cm in patients with IL-2 mRNA expression versus -0.18 cm in patients without IL-2 mRNA expression, p = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: An increase in left ventricular total wall thickness precedes IL-2 positive acute rejection after heart transplantation. Thus, cardiac allograft rejection accompanied by intragraft IL-2 mRNA expression may be indicative of more severe rejection episodes.
Authors: P M Janssen; O Zeitz; B Keweloh; U Siegel; L S Maier; P Barckhausen; B Pieske; J Prestle; S E Lehnart; G Hasenfuss Journal: Cardiovasc Res Date: 2000-07 Impact factor: 10.787
Authors: H A Valantine; T K Yeoh; R Gibbons; P McCarthy; E B Stinson; M E Billingham; R L Popp Journal: J Heart Lung Transplant Date: 1991 Sep-Oct Impact factor: 10.247
Authors: C C Baan; C J Knoop; T van Gelder; C T Holweg; H G Niesters; T J Smeets; F van der Ham; P E Zondervan; L P Maat; A H Balk; W Weimar Journal: Transplantation Date: 1999-03-27 Impact factor: 4.939
Authors: H F Mannaerts; M L Simoons; A H Balk; J Tijssen; S G van der Borden; P E Zondervan; B Mochtar; W Weimar; J R Roelandt Journal: J Heart Lung Transplant Date: 1993 May-Jun Impact factor: 10.247
Authors: H F Mannaerts; A H Balk; M L Simoons; J Tijssen; S G van der Borden; P Zondervan; G R Sutherland; J R Roelandt Journal: Br Heart J Date: 1992-10