Cellular chimerism of the lung after transplantation - An interphase cytogenetic study

The present study evaluated the origin of endothelial and epithelial cells, as well as of lymphocytes and macrophages, after lung transplantation. Bio psy specimens from patients who underwent lung and heart-lung transplantati on and received organs of sex-mismatched donors were studied by means of no nisotopic in situ hybridization with DNA probes of the X and Y chromosome. By means of monoclonal antibodies against leukocytes, T and B lymphocytes, and macrophages, the various infiltrating cell types were analyzed. In all allografted lungs, the endothelial cells and bronchial and alveolar epithelium retained the donor sex type. The lymphocytes of the donor were a lmost completely replaced by recipient cells I month after transplantation Low numbers of alveolar macrophages of the donor were present during the en tire period under study. Low numbers of donor Lymphocytes and high numbers of donor alveolar macrophages in the allografted lung seem to be correlated with a worse clinical course.