Acute Rejection and Antibody-Mediated Rejection in Lung Transplantation

Abstract

Despite advances in immunosuppression over the past 25 years, acute cellular rejection remains a common complication early after lung transplantation. Although acute cellular rejection has often not resulted in clinical signs or symptoms of allograft dysfunction, it has been widely recognized as a strong independent risk factor for the development of chronic rejection, emphasizing its clinical significance. In recent years, the role of humoral immunity in lung rejection has been increasingly appreciated, and antibody-mediated rejection is now recognized as a form of rejection that may result in allograft failure.

Keywords: Acute rejection; Antibody-mediated rejection; Lung transplantation; Lymphocytic bronchiolitis.