Chronic Rejection of Cardiac Allografts Is Associated With Increased Lymphatic Flow and Cellular Trafficking.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cardiac transplantation is an excellent treatment for end-stage heart disease. However, rejection of the donor graft, in particular, by chronic rejection leading to cardiac allograft vasculopathy, remains a major cause of graft loss. The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in the alloimmune response, facilitating trafficking of antigen-presenting cells to draining lymph nodes. The encounter of antigen-presenting cells with T lymphocytes in secondary lymphoid organs is essential for the initiation of alloimmunity. Donor lymphatic vessels are not anastomosed to that of the recipient during transplantation. The pathophysiology of lymphatic disruption is unknown, and whether this disruption enhances or hinders the alloimmune responses is unclear. Although histological anal

SUBMITTER: Edwards LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5737875 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature