Natural killer cell activation in the lung allograft early posttransplantation

Abstract

Background: In addition to their known antiviral and host defense functions, emerging evidence suggests that natural killer (NK) cells may influence allograft outcomes after solid organ transplantation. Although it is accepted that NK cells are activated in the absence of self-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules, little is known of how NK cell dynamics change after transplantation of a MHC disparate lung allograft. MATERIALS AND Methods: To assess this, we characterized longitudinal changes in NK cell frequency and phenotype, using flow cytometry, both in the peripheral blood and lung allograft in 34 patients undergoing lung transplantation. Results: NK cell frequency de..