EXPRESSION OF MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY ANTIGENS AND VASCULAR ADHESIONMOLECULES ON HUMAN CARDIAC ALLOGRAFTS PRESERVED IN UNIVERSITY-OF-WISCONSIN SOLUTION

The impact of cold storage of cardiac allografts on expression of majo r histocompatibility complex antigens and vascular adhesion molecules is not known. We obtained serial endomyocardial biopsy specimens at ha rvest, on implantation, and approximately 15 minutes after reperfusion from six consecutive human cardiac allografts stored in University of Wisconsin solution. Cold ischemia time was 187 +/- 45 minutes. A four th endomyocardial biopsy specimen was obtained from the recipients of cardiac allografts 1 week after operation. Expression of major histoco mpatibility complex antigens and vascular adhesion molecules was studi ed by immunohistochemistry. The intensity was scored blindly by a semi quantitative method. On vascular endothelial cells, the expression of major histocompatibility complex class I and II antigens was strong; I CAM-1 expression was moderate, and expression of VCAM-1 and ELAM-1 was weak to absent. The expression of these antigens on vascular endothel ial cells did not change in sequential biopsy specimens. The expressio n of major histocompatibility complex class I antigens on myocardial c ells was weak and remained unchanged. Myocardial cells did not express major histocompatibility complex class II antigens, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, o r ELAM-1 on serial examinations. During cold storage of cardiac allogr afts in University of Wisconsin solution, the expression of major hist ocompatibility complex antigens and vascular adhesion molecules on end othelial cells and myocardial cells remains unchanged.