Antibody-Mediated Response in Rat Liver Chronic Rejection

Purpose. The aim was to study the effect of an antibody-mediated response on rat chronic liver rejection. Methods. Liver transplantation was performed in rats assigned to one of the 3 treatment groups: group A, Brown Norway (BN) to BN + CsA; group B, dark Agouti (DA) to BN; and group C, DA to BN + CsA. In addition to survival and histopathologic assessment, we examined donor-specific antibodies in sera and C4d staining in the transplanted liver. Results. In rats with chronic rejection, high levels of IgG1 were detected from day 7, reaching peak levels at postoperative days 60-90, showing significance compared with the acute rejection (P < .05) and the syngeneic groups (P < .01). There was more C4d deposition in vessels and portal stroma of the livers from recipients displaying chronic rejection compared with recipients showing acute rejection or of syngeneic origin (P < .05). Conclusion. Antibody-mediated responses might play important roles in the development of chronic liver allograft rejection.