ABSTRACT
To investigate the gene expression profiles in acute allograft rejection of renal trans- plantation, and identify the markers for the early diagnosis of acute rejection, heterotopic kidney transplantation was performed by using F344 or Lewis donors and Lewis recipients. No immunosup- pressant was used. Renal grafts were harvested on days 3, 7, and 14. A commercial microarray was used to measure gene expression levels in day-7 grafts. The expression levels of 48 genes were up-regulated in the allograft in comparison with the isograft control, and interferon-y-induced GTPase gene was most significantly up-regulated in allografts. It is concluded that a variety of pathways are involved in organ transplant rejection which is dynamic and non-balanced. IFN-inducible genes, such as IGTP, may play an important role in the rejection. A lot of important factors involved in acute re- jection are unnecessary but sufficient conditions for the rejection. We are led to conclude that it is virtually impossible to make an early diagnosis based on a single gene marker, but it could he achieved on the basis of a set of markers.