[Immunohistochemical analysis of graft rejection in formalin fixed kidney biopsies]

One hundred and five formalin fixed renal allograft biopsies with a graft survival of more than 12 months have been examined by histological and immunohistochemical methods. 51 cases of vascular and 41 cases of tubulointerstitial allograft rejections were diagnosed by conventional light microscopy. 13 cases showed a combined type of rejection. The vascular and the interstitial type contain on average 64 respectively 79 CD 45 positive cells/mm2 surface of section. A mean of 70 cells/mm2 has been calculated for the combined type of rejection. The corresponding mean values of MT 1 positive T-lymphocytes are 46 in the vascular type, 52 in the combined type and 60 cells/mm2 in the tubulointerstitial type of allograft rejection. Apparently because of the great ranges there are no statistically significant differences between the observations in the different types of rejection. His equal for the concentration of Mac 387 positive macrophages and as well for the content of L26 positive B-lymphocytes in the different types of rejection. The concentrations of HLA-DR expressing cells in the interstitium are determined with a monoclonal anti-HLA-DR antibody, which detects a fixation resistant epitope of the DR-molecule. There is an average of DR positive cells/mm2 of 79 in vascular and 107 in interstitial rejection. The combined type of rejection contains 86 cell/mm2 on average, so that there is a statistically significant positive correlation, if you will order the observations in sequence of vascular, combined and interstitial type of rejection. In this case the observations of interstitial and vascular rejections differ statistically significant as well.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)