Immunohistochemical analysis of platelet-derived growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor in cardiac biopsy and autopsy specimens of heart transplant patients

The purposes of this study were to examine 250 heart biopsy specimens and 20 autopsy specimens from heart transplant patients for the presence and localization of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and to correlate these findings with the histologic features of rejection and the autopsy findings of graft coronary vasculopathy and global ischemia. Positive specimen staining was significantly more prevalent for PDGF (78% of specimens) than for bFGF (54% of specimens) (p < 0.001). PDGF was distributed more in an interstitial (53%) than a vascular (28%) pattern and was associated with macrophages, whereas bFGF was distributed more in a vascular (50%) than an interstitial (12%) pattern. The prevalence of PDGF (but not bFGF) staining was significantly greater in biopsy specimens with at least grade 2 vascular rejection changes (81%) than in those without vascular rejection changes (58%) (p < 0.001). In autopsy specimens, PDGF staining was present in the hearts of all 5 patients (100%) who died of graft failure from coronary vasculopathy and was also present in all 11 hearts (100%) with global ischemic changes, but in only 4 of 9 (44%) of the hearts without global ischemia (p < 0.01). PDGF staining was absent in nontransplanted heart specimens, whereas bFGF staining in nontransplanted heart specimens was similar to that in transplanted hearts. We conclude that PDGF is increased in transplanted hearts, is distributed more in an interstitial pattern, and is associated with macrophages. Furthermore, PDGF staining is increased in transplanted hearts with evidence of vascular rejection, coronary vasculopathy, or global ischemia.