P-glycoprotein expression is not a useful predictor of acute or chronic kidney graft rejection

Because of the role of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in multidrug resistance (MDR), it has been suggested that P-gp might play a role in acute and chronic rej ection after organ transplantation. The purpose of the present work was to investigate a possible relationship between graft outcome and P-pp expressi on on peripheral mononuclear cells of renal transplant recipients. We deter mined P-gp expression in 27 patients with long-term, stable graft function (ST) and in 15 patients with chronic deterioration of graft function (CR). In addition, 40 patients were studied prior to, and at intervals after, tra nsplantation with 21 healthy individuals serving as controls. P-gp values w ere highest in healthy controls and in ST patients. We found no correlation between P-gp values and acute rejection. CR patients tended to have lower levels of P-gp expression, Our results contradict the opinion that an overe xpression of P-gp induces acute or chronic rejection by inhibiting the effi cacy of immunosuppressive treatment.