Immunologic factors in transplant arteriopathy: insight from animal models.

Transplant arteriopathy is the leading cause of long-term morbidity and mortality following heart transplantation. The pathologic hallmark of this disease is intimal proliferation. Animal models have demonstrated that immunologic factors, including cytokines, cellular adhesion molecules and inflammatory cells, play a significant role in the development of this arteriopathy. One goal of future studies will be to translate findings in animal models into effective treatments in humans.