CD3+ CD57+ lymphocytes are not likely to be involved in antigen-specific rejection processes in long-term allograft recipients

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Abstract
Cytofluorometric investigation of peripheral blood lymphocytes in 380 long‐term (> 1 year post‐transplantation) allograft recipients showed a significant increase in the proportion of CD3+57+ lymphocytes (> 20%) in 20% of patients with renal allografts, 66% of patients with cardiac allografts and 44% of patients with liver allografts. Most of these CD3+ 57+ cells expressed the CD8 antigen and a variable proportion the HLA‐DR antigen. A retrospective analysis showed a poorer prognosis for the clinical outcome in those patients with elevated numbers of CD3+57+ cells in peripheral blood. However, CD57+ lymphocytes could rarely be detected in renal infiltrates by immunohistology. Using the Southern blot technique to analyse the T cell receptor rearrangement of separated CD57+ cells, no clonal or oligoclonal expansion of T cell clones could be detected. Nevertheless, there might be a bias towards the use of particular TCR‐Vβ gene families in at least some patients, as shown by analysis with monoclonal antibodies. In summary, CD57+ T cells are not likely to be directly involved in the rejection process. The data support the idea of a polyclonal and/or superantigendriven expansion, but not of an antigen‐driven expansion of these cells.