DEVELOPMENT OF LYMPHOCYTOTOXIC ANTIBODIES AMONG LUNG-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of postoperative l ymphocytotoxic antibodies (LA) formation and to assess their potential utility in immunologic monitoring after lung transplantation. We dete rmined prospectively the percentage LA against a reference panel react ive antibody in a complement-dependent microlymphocytotoxicity test in 137 sequential serum samples obtained from 14 consecutive lung transp lant recipients who survived over the first postoperative year. Four p atients developed high titers of LA (greater than 10% panel reactive a ntibody reactivity in at least 3 consecutive samples) by 2 to 24 month s after surgery. Antibodies were mostly immunoglobulin M isotype, with out any specificity against the donor's human leukocyte antigen and we re correlated with the development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrom e (p =.01) and with chronic bronchial infectious colonization (p =.03) . In conclusion, a polyclonal immunoglobulin M antibody production can be detected in serum samples from lung transplant recipients and seem s to be involved in the progression of chronic rejection process. Thes e preliminary results incline to carry on the cytotoxicity screening o f a panel of lymphocytes to better understand the significance of such reactivity.