Abstract
It is still unclear whether there are differences in the types and functional status of immune cells in different areas of the liver lobules after liver transplantation rejection. The composition of infiltrating T cells in liver allografts during liver transplantation rejection is unclear and difficult to visualize on the same biopsy slide. We used multiplex immunofluorescence assays to study the spatial distribution of various types of infiltrating T cells in different areas of the liver lobules after liver transplantation. In the same area of the hepatic lobules, the percentage of CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the acute rejection group was higher than that in the nonacute rejection and normal groups. Within all three groups, the percentage of CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells and Tregs from the periportal to perivenous zones was increased first and then decreased. The percentage of CD8 + T cells increased gradually from the periportal to perivenous zones, the percentage of CD8 + T cells in perivenous zone was higher than in the transitional and periportal zones in the rejection group. In conclusion, the percentage of CD8 + T cells in different regions of liver lobules is closely related to rejection level after liver transplantation. Acute liver transplantation rejection may occur when the percentage of CD8 + T cells in the perivenous zone increases. Although the percentage of regional CD4 + T could not reflect the rejection level, but the number of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells in different regions was closely related to the rejection level.
Multiplex immunofluorescence of spatial distribution of infiltrating T cells in different regions of hepatic lobules during liver transplantation rejection