Expression of an interferon-gamma-like substance in normal and transplanted rat heart tissue

• The presence of interferon-gamma-like molecules has been reported not only in lymphocytes, but also in certain nerve cells and in normal skeletal muscle. We have studied the reactivity of the anti-interferon-gamma monoclonal antibody DB1 with frozen sections of normal and transplanted rat hearts. Cardiac grafts from PVG donor rats were transplanted to syngeneic PVG recipients or allogeneic Wistar/Kyoto recipient rats with the use of an accessory cervical heart transplantation technique. The allogeneic heart transplants were harvested 4 days and the syngeneic grafts 4 weeks after transplantation. In normal hearts there was a weak but distinct reactivity with the anti-interferon-gamma antibody in most muscle cells. In addition, some lymphocytes and the Purkinje fibers were positive. Hearts transplanted over an allogeneic barrier revealed that staining for interferon-gamma on muscle cells was substantially increased whereas no or only a moderate increase in the anti-interferon-gamma staining was seen in hearts transplanted to syngeneic recipients. These data indicate that interferon-gamma present in rat myocyte may be involved in the pathophysiology of graft rejection and also suggest that interferon-gamma may be of importance for the function of normal rat heart muscle cells.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Animals

Antibodies

Monoclonal/immunology

Graft Rejection/*immunology

Heart Transplantation/*immunology

Interferon-gamma/*analysis

Male

Myocardium/*chemistry/immunology

Rats

Rats

Inbred Strains

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)