Acute cellular rejection following human heart transplantation is associated with increased expression of vitronectin receptor (integrin αVβ3)

The vitronectin receptor (integrin alphavbeta3), a cell-surface adhesion receptor, has been shown to play a significant role in endothelial cell migration, apoptosis, atherosclerosis, and T lymphocyte activation. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that cardiac allograft rejection is associated with increased expression of alphavbeta3. We also determined whether fibronectin receptor (alpha5beta1) and tissue factor are up-regulated in the presence of acute cellular rejection. We evaluated endomyocardial biopsy specimens with histologic evidence of different degrees of acute cellular rejection (grade 0, n = 30; grade 1 A, n = 10; grade 2, n = 70; grade 3A, n =10). Biopsies were obtained 2-4 weeks after cardiac transplantation. Immunoperoxidase staining was performed for alphavbeta3, tissue factor, and alpha5beta1, and protein levels were further determined by Western blot analysis. Specimens with grade 2 and grade 3A rejection showed positive staining of alphavbeta3 in lymphocytic aggregates and vascular endothelial cells. By immunoblotting, we identified ignificantly increased expression of alphavbeta3 in the presence of acute rejection, grade 2 (3-fold, p =0.01) and grade 3A (3.6-fold, p =0.005) compared to grade 0 and 1 A specimens. There was no evidence of increased expression of alpha5beta1 or tissue factor. Acute cellular rejection, a process characterized by T-lymphocyte activation and release of inflammatory cytokines, is associated with increased expression of alphavbeta3.