BACKGROUND: Epithelial damage is an important feature in the pathogenesis of obliterative @entity1030 . We investigated the extent of epithelial apoptosis in this process in @entity1707 bronchial allografts. METHODS: The bronchial grafts (total, n = 200) were placed subcutaneously into recipients. Three allograft groups were formed: the first group had no immunosuppression therapy; the second received triple therapy with 10 mg/kg/day @entity205 , 2 mg/kg/day @entity500 , and 20 mg/day @entity1667 ; and the third was given triple therapy in which @entity500 was replaced with 1.5 mg/kg/day @entity2239 ( @entity2239 ). The fourth group, which had allograft and autograft implants, received only 1.5 mg/kg/day @entity2239 . The implants were serially removed during 3 months of follow-up. We evaluated graft histology and analyzed the apoptotic index percentage (apoptotic cells / total number of cells) of the bronchial epithelium using in situ 3'-end labeling of apoptotic DNA. RESULTS: Epithelial destruction and subsequent obliteration of the bronchial lumen were complete by Day 28 in non-treated allografts and in most allografts with inadequate immunosuppression to prevent these changes (those treated with @entity205 , @entity500 , and @entity1667 and those treated with @entity2239 only). The apoptotic indexes of the epithelium were high (>1% of the cells were apoptotic) and increased with concomitant epithelial destruction. In allografts with adequate immunosuppression to prevent epithelial destruction (those treated with @entity205 , @entity2239 , and @entity1667 ) and in autografts, after @entity16 , well-pre-served epithelium was maintained with low apoptotic indexes (<1% of the cells apoptotic). CONCLUSIONS: Apoptotic activity increased with progressing epithelial damage preceding bronchial obliteration. Our results give further evidence that apoptotic death of epithelial cells is an important mechanism in events that lead to graft deterioration in obliterative @entity5924 after lung transplantation.

Epithelial apoptosis in experimental obliterative XXXX after lung transplantation.

@entity1667 :: ('MESH:D008775', 'Chemical') :: ['methylprednisolone'] @entity1707 :: ('9823', 'Species') :: ['pig'] @entity500 :: ('MESH:D001379', 'Chemical') :: ['azathioprine'] @entity16 :: ('MESH:D009422', 'Disease') :: ['initial damage'] @entity2239 :: ('MESH:C107135', 'Chemical') :: ['everolimus', '40-O-[2-hydroxyethyl]-rapamycin'] @entity205 :: ('MESH:D016572', 'Chemical') :: ['cyclosporine'] @entity5924 :: ('MESH:D001988', 'Disease') :: ['bronchiolitis'] @entity1030 :: ('MESH:D029424', 'Disease') :: ['airway disease']
@entity1030 :: (MESH:D029424,Disease) :: ['airway disease']
