Emphysema Induces Lung-Specific Autoantibodies that Exacerbate Ischemia Reperfusion Injury Post-Lung Transplantation

Increasing evidence indicates a role for recipient autoimmunity in the pathogenesis of graft rejection. COPD, which accounts for over 25% of all lung transplants (LTx), is caused by chronic inflammation, which has been shown to lead to an autoimmune phenotype characterized by the production of extracellular matrix (ECM) autoreactive antibodies (aAbs). Here we investigated the impact of recipient pre-existing aAbs on early post-transplant (Tx) outcomes. We hypothesize that ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) liberates ECM epitopes and facilitate aAb binding, leading to lung injury.

Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - March 31, 2018 Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: K.J. Patel, Q. Cheng, D.P. Allen, S. Stephenson, M. Goddard, S.N. Nadig, C. Atkinson Source Type: research