Intragraft Expression of the IL-10 Gene Is Up-Regulated in Renal Protocol Biopsies with Early Interstitial Fibrosis, Tubular Atrophy, and Subclinical Rejection

Grafts with subclinical rejection associated with interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (SCR+IF/TA) show poorer survival than grafts with subclinical rejection without IF/TA (SCR). Aiming to detect differences among SCR+IF/TA and SCR, we immunophenotyped the inflammatory infiltrate (CD45, CD3, CD20, CD68) and used a low-density array to determine levels of TH 1 (interleukin IL-2, IL-3, γ-interferon, tumor necrosis factor-α, lymphotoxin-α, lymphotoxin-β, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) and TH 2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-13) transcripts as well as of IL-2R (as marker for T-cell activation) in 31 protocol biopsies of renal allografts. Here we show that grafts with early IF/TA and SCR can be distinguished from grafts with SCR on the basis of the activation of IL-10 gene expression and of an increased infiltration by B-lymphocytes in a cellular context in which the degree of T-cell activation is similar in both groups of biopsies, as demonstrated by equivalent levels of IL-2R mRNA. These results suggest that the up-regulation of the IL-10 gene expression, as well as an increased proportion of B-lymphocytes in the inflammatory infiltrates, might be useful as markers of early chronic lesions in grafts with SCR.