EXPRESSION OF INTERCELLULAR AND VASCULAR CELL-ADHESION MOLECULES AND CLASS-II MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY ANTIGENS IN HUMAN LUNGS - LACK OF INFLUENCE BY CONDITIONS OF ORGAN PRESERVATION

Background: The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascu lar cell adhesion molecule-1, and class II major histocompatibility co mplex antigens was studied in control lung tissue and preserved human donor lungs. The three controls were represented by wedge biopsy speci mens taken from non-neoplastic lung surrounding bronchogenic carcinoma s. Methods: Nine lungs were harvested from six brain-dead donors, flus hed with Euro-Collins solution or low potassium-dextran-glucose soluti on, and stored at 1 degrees or 10 degrees C. Samples of the latter org ans were taken at the time of surgical harvest (baseline) and after 2, 12, 24, and 48 hours of preservation time. Immunostains with monoclon al antibodies against intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and class II major histocompatibility complex mo lecules were performed on all samples, and the relative presence of th ese determinants was evaluated. Results: In both the controls and pres erved lungs, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression was intense in the septal capillary endothelium and alveolar pneumocytes, but esse ntially absent in bronchial epithelium. Vascular cell adhesion molecul e-1 was moderately to strongly labeled in the endothelia of large and small blood vessels of all types, and it was not seen in other cell ty pes. Class II major histocompatibility complex antigens were variably observed in pulmonary epithelial cells, but they were not expressed by endothelia. There appeared to be no significant difference in the imm unohistologic density of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 or vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 immunostaining in allografts at the specifie d time points of preservation; this conclusion was confirmed by Wester n blot analysis. Similar findings pertained to staining results for hu man leukocyte DR antigens. There was likewise no significant differenc e in the expression of the three analytes when donor lungs perfused wi th Euro-Collins solution versus low potassium-dextran-glucose solution were compared; this was also true of organs preserved at 1 degrees C versus 10 degrees C. Conclusions: These results suggest that, in the i mmediate postharvest period, modulations in the expression of intercel lular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, or class II major histocompatibility complex antigens in pulmonary allografts are not attributable to the influences of preservation conditions.