Abstract
Corneal grafts enjoy the highest success rate of any form of organ transplantation. The low incidence of graft rejection is particularly impressive considering that human leukocyte antigen matching of donor and recipient is not normally performed. Although corticosteroids are applied topically, systemic immunosuppressive drugs are not routinely implemented for keratoplasty. The most widely accepted explanation to account for corneal allograft success suggests that the avascularity of the graft bed prevents corneal alloantigens from reaching the regional lymphoid tissues and therefore results in an "afferent blockade" of the immune response. However, recent findings suggest that the unique immunologic characteristics of the corneal graft itself may play a crucial role in determining the fate of the transplant. In particular, the presence and distribution of donor-derived Ia+ Langerhans cells can have a profound impact on graft immunogenicity and thus, graft survival even if the graft bed is initially free of lymphatic and blood vascular drainage channels. Thus, the immunologically unique characteristics of the corneal graft conspire with the avascular graft bed to produce an "immunologically privileged" environment that promotes graft survival.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 117-124 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Regional immunology |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - Mar 1989 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
Cite this
The immunogenic privilege of corneal allografts. / Niederkorn, J. Y.; Peeler, J. S.; Ross, J.; Callanan, D.
In: Regional immunology, Vol. 2, No. 2, 03.1989, p. 117-124.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The immunogenic privilege of corneal allografts.
AU - Niederkorn, J. Y.
AU - Peeler, J. S.
AU - Ross, J.
AU - Callanan, D.
PY - 1989/3
Y1 - 1989/3
N2 - Corneal grafts enjoy the highest success rate of any form of organ transplantation. The low incidence of graft rejection is particularly impressive considering that human leukocyte antigen matching of donor and recipient is not normally performed. Although corticosteroids are applied topically, systemic immunosuppressive drugs are not routinely implemented for keratoplasty. The most widely accepted explanation to account for corneal allograft success suggests that the avascularity of the graft bed prevents corneal alloantigens from reaching the regional lymphoid tissues and therefore results in an "afferent blockade" of the immune response. However, recent findings suggest that the unique immunologic characteristics of the corneal graft itself may play a crucial role in determining the fate of the transplant. In particular, the presence and distribution of donor-derived Ia+ Langerhans cells can have a profound impact on graft immunogenicity and thus, graft survival even if the graft bed is initially free of lymphatic and blood vascular drainage channels. Thus, the immunologically unique characteristics of the corneal graft conspire with the avascular graft bed to produce an "immunologically privileged" environment that promotes graft survival.
AB - Corneal grafts enjoy the highest success rate of any form of organ transplantation. The low incidence of graft rejection is particularly impressive considering that human leukocyte antigen matching of donor and recipient is not normally performed. Although corticosteroids are applied topically, systemic immunosuppressive drugs are not routinely implemented for keratoplasty. The most widely accepted explanation to account for corneal allograft success suggests that the avascularity of the graft bed prevents corneal alloantigens from reaching the regional lymphoid tissues and therefore results in an "afferent blockade" of the immune response. However, recent findings suggest that the unique immunologic characteristics of the corneal graft itself may play a crucial role in determining the fate of the transplant. In particular, the presence and distribution of donor-derived Ia+ Langerhans cells can have a profound impact on graft immunogenicity and thus, graft survival even if the graft bed is initially free of lymphatic and blood vascular drainage channels. Thus, the immunologically unique characteristics of the corneal graft conspire with the avascular graft bed to produce an "immunologically privileged" environment that promotes graft survival.
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M3 - Article
VL - 2
SP - 117
EP - 124
JO - Regional immunology
JF - Regional immunology
SN - 0896-0623
IS - 2
ER -