CELLULAR BASIS FOR ACCUMULATION OF IN-111-LABELED LEUKOCYTES AND PLATELETS IN REJECTING CARDIAC ALLOGRAFTS - CONCISE COMMUNICATION

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 23  (11) , 993-997
Abstract
Biodistribution and imaging studies in rats showed that In-111-labeled leukocytes and platelets accumulate progressively with time with transplantation in cardiac allografts undergoing rejection, but do not accumulate in normal syngeneic heart grafts. Maximum heart allograft-to-blood ratios of 9:1 were obtained, and allograft-to-native heart ratios of 17:1. Microscopic studies of the rejecting cardiac allografts showed that histologic findings paralleled the cellular changes predicted by the radionuclide studies. 67Ga citrate and 99mTc sulfur colloid administered i.v. failed to show significant accumulation in rejecting grafts. Cellular rejection, rather than nonspecific inflammatory changes, is the primary basis for accumulation of In-111 leukocytes and platelets in rejecting cardiac allografts.