THE ROLE OF CLASS I AND CLASS II MHC ANTIGENS IN THE REJECTION OF VASCULARIZED HEART ALLOGRAFTS IN MICE

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Abstract
We have examined the role of entire major histocompatibility complex (MHC) disparity, individual class H or class I alloantigens in the rejection of vascularized heart allografts. Our results demonstrate that entire MHC, as well as both class II and class I disparities, may induce acute heart graft rejection or severe and irreversibe heart muscle destruction. However, in 1 of 2 combinations differing at class II and 1 of 5 differing at class I, hearts have shown a good function > 100 days postgrafting. Furthermore, each donor-recipient combination has demonstrated a unique pattern of heart allograft function as well as a degree of heart muscle damage. In conclusion, these data suggest that the rejection process depends upon multiple factors such as the immune-response-gene-regulated immunoresponsiveness of the recipient as well as the expression of alloantigens on heart grafts during the induction and effector phases of the immune response.