ABOUT THE ROLE OF CLASSICAL AND NONCLASSI CAL MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY ANTIGENS (MHCS) AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE NONADAPTIVE IMMUNE-RESPONSE AFTER HEART-TRANSPLANTATION IN THE RAT MODEL

The impact of non-adaptive effector cells (NK-cells and macrophages) f ollowing allogeneic transplantation of solid organs is still subject o f controversies. The here presented study outlines the importance of t hese cell subpopulations in terms such as kinetic recruitment into the transplant and extent of histopathomorphologic tissue injury within t he organ. Both are significantly enhanced in the allogeneic as compare d to the syngeneic setting. Protein products coded for by the RT1.C-re gion of the rat have been shown to function as NK-cell activation mole cules and appear to exert an influence on the rejection process, since , in certain strain combinations, they can lead to chronic rejection w ithin 3 weeks following transplantion.