Chronic graft-versus-host disease in the rat radiation chimera: I. clinical features, hematology, histology, and immunopathology in long-term chimeras

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1982 · Transplantation; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00007890-198204000-00010· OSTI ID:6704419

Beschorner, W E; Tutschka, P J; Santos, G W

The clinical features, pathology, and immunopathology of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) developing in the long-term rat radiation chimera are described. At 6 to 12 months post-transplant, the previously stable ACI/LEW chimeras developed patchy to diffuse severe hair loss and thickened skin folds, and had microscopic features resembling scleroderma, Sjogren's syndrome, and chronic hepatitis. Skin histology showed dermal inflammation and acanthosis with atrophy of the appendages, with progression to dermal sclerosis. The liver revealed chronic hepatitis with bile duct injury and proliferation and periportal piecemeal necrosis. The tongue had considerable submucosal inflammation, muscular necrosis, and atrophy and arteritis. The serous salivary glands, lacrimal glands, and bronchi had lymphocytic inflammation and injury to duct, acinar, and mucosal columnar epithelium. The thymus had lymphocyte depletion of the medulla with prominent epithelium. The spleen and lymph nodes had poorly developed germinal centers but increased numbers of plasma cells. IgM was observed along the basement membrane and around the basal cells of the skin and tongue and along the basement membrane of the bile ducts. IgM was present also in the arteries of the tongue. Immunoglobulins eluted from the skin, cross-reacted with the bile duct epithelium and usually with both ACI and Lewis skin. Increased titers of speckled antinuclear antibodies were present in the serum of rats with chronic (GVHD). Chronic GVHD in the long-term rat radiation chimera is very similar to human chronic GVHD and is a potentially excellent model for autoimmune disorders including scleroderma, Sjorgren's syndrome, and chronic hepatitis.

• Research Organization: Johns Hopkins Medical Inst., Baltimore, MD
• OSTI ID: 6704419
• Journal Information: Transplantation; (United States), Vol. 33:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
GRAFT-HOST REACTION
HEMATOLOGY
SYMPTOMS
IMMUNOSUPPRESSION
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIATION CHIMERAS
ATROPHY
BONE MARROW CELLS
CESIUM 137
ENDOXAN
GAMMA RADIATION
HEPATITIS
HISTOLOGY
IMMUNOGLOBULINS
IMMUNOLOGY
INFLAMMATION
LETHAL IRRADIATION
LIVER
LUNGS
NECROSIS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RATS
SALIVARY GLANDS
SKIN
THYMUS
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALKYLATING AGENTS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHIMERAS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES
DISEASES
DRUGS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GLANDS
GLOBULINS
IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPES
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
MAMMALS
MEDICINE
MOSAICISM
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PROTEINS
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
560152* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Animals
550900 - Pathology