??-SMOOTH MUSCLE ACTIN AND COLLAGEN DEPOSITION IN DYSFUNCTIONAL RENAL TRANSPLANTS

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Abstract
In normal kidneys, α-smooth muscle actin and collagen type III expression is restricted to vascular smooth muscle cells and perivascular fibrous tissues, respectively, but in pathological conditions their expression or deposition is more extensive. Using immunohistochemistry, we examined the expression of α-smooth muscle actin and type III collagen in 31 human renal transplant biopsy specimens obtained from patients with graft dysfunction. We found that dysfunctional renal transplants have increased α-smooth muscle actin and collagen III expression in the glomerulus and interstitium, but only glomerular α-smooth muscle actin expression correlates with graft function and prognosis.