Cell-mediated cytotoxicity in acute rat cardiac allograft rejection: an immunological and ultrastructural study.

To clarify the immune mechanism of cytotoxicity in acute cardiac allograft rejection, we observed interactions between cardiocytes and mononuclear cells using immunohistochemistry and light and electron microscopy. All allografted WKA rat hearts transplanted to F344 recipients stopped beating by the 7th day after the transplantation. The population of helper/inducer T cells (Th) and IL2R+ cells was large for the first 3 days, whereas that of cytotoxic/suppressor T cells (Tc-s) and macrophages increased from the 4th day. The Th/Tc-s ratios were more than 2.0 until the 3rd day, then decreased to less than 1.0. In circulating T lymphocytes; the Th/Tc-s ratios were under 1.0 on the 1st, 6th and 7th days. Electron microscopically IL2R+ cells, Tc-s and macrophages were often seen in close contact with the plasma membrane of the cardiocytes. The majority of IL2R+ cells are NK cells, Tc-s and Th. Of these, the population of Tc-s was small until the 3rd day. Thus, NK cells play a pivotal role in the early stage of the rejection, and Tc-s and macrophages then aggravate cell-mediated cardiocyte injury.