Quantitative gene expression analysis of fractalkine using laser microdissection in biopsies from kidney allografts with acute rejection
Section snippets
Methods
In the present study, 12 paraffin-embedded kidney biopsies from 11 renal transplants with histologic signs of acute graft rejection were chosen for analysis. Patient characteristics are shown in Table 1. Unaffected regions from tumor nephrectomies and renal biopsies derived from transplanted kidneys without signs of rejection served as control tissues. All biopsies had been processed for routine light microscopy. Preparation of sections for laser microdissection12 used the PALM Laser Micro Beam
Results
Compared to controls, a significant upregulation of FKN expression was observed in rejecting renal transplants in all compartments (tubuli, glomeruli, vessels). Specifically, tubular FKN expression increased from 1 [0.81 to 2.95] (median [range]) in controls to 12.44 [0.90 to 191.0] in acute rejection (P < .01); glomerular FKN expression from 1.3 [0.07 to 27.44] to 12.22 [1.32 to 50.23] (P < .05); and vascular expression from 0.72 [0.37 to 5.11] to 7.07 [1.19 to 73.49] (P < .01) (Fig 1). Within
Discussion
Improvements in transplant survival have lead to a recent focus of interest in intragraft expression of genes playing an important role in acute and chronic allograft rejection. Chemokines have been implicated in the context of acute rejection.5 Infiltration of renal allografts with mononuclear cells is a sign of acute rejection. Early immunohistologic studies show FKN receptor-expressing cells in biopsies from patients with acute rejection episodes.13 In addition chemokines have been suggested
Acknowledgments
We thank Gabriele Spatar for excellent technical assistance and Dr. Caroline Barner for helpful discussion.
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