Acute cellular rejection monitoring after intestinal transplant: utility of serologic markers and zoom videoendoscopy as support of conventional biopsy and clinical findings

Transplant Proc. 2008 Jun;40(5):1575-6. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2008.03.153.

Abstract

Acute cellular rejection (ACR) episodes in intestinal transplant recipients are diagnosed by histologic and clinical findings. We have applied zoom video endoscopy and the use of serologic markers granzyme B (GrB) and perforin (PrF) to monitor rejection together with conventional tools. Seven hundred eighty-two blood samples (obtained at the time of the biopsy) collected from 34 recipients for GrB/PrF upregulation were positive among 64.9% of ACRs during a 3-year follow-up. Considering only the first year results posttransplantation, it reached 73.1% of rejection events. Zoom videoendoscopy was used by our group in 29 recipients of isolated intestine (n = 24) or multivisceral transplantations (n = 5) to enable observation of villi and crypt areas. From more than 270 procedures, 84% of the zoom findings agreed with the histologic results, namely, a specificity of 95%. In fact, during ongoing ACR, villi were altered in 80% of cases. Both procedures were helpful to support conventional histologic findings and clinical symptoms of ACR in intestinal transplant recipients.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Biopsy
  • Endoscopy
  • Graft Rejection / immunology
  • Graft Rejection / pathology*
  • Granzymes / blood
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular
  • Intestines / transplantation*
  • Microscopy, Video
  • Monitoring, Immunologic / methods
  • Monitoring, Physiologic
  • Perforin / blood

Substances

  • Perforin
  • Granzymes