Abstract:  Epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) are dendritic, antigen‐presenting cells residing within mammalian epidermis and mucosal epithelia. When massively depleted, they are replaced by cells of bone‐marrow origin. However, their renewal within normal skin under steady‐state conditions is not precisely known. We observed that epidermal LC within a human hand allograft remain stable in the long term (10 years) and are not replaced by cells of recipient’s origin; furthermore, we observed a Langerhans cell in mitosis within the epidermis 8 years postgraft. These results show that under almost physiological conditions, human LC renew in the epidermis by local mitoses of preexisting cells.

Whereas vascularized composite allografts often undergo acute rejections early in the postgraft period, rejection manifesting with severe vascular changes (graft vasculopathy) has only been observed on three occasions in humans. We report a hand-allografted patient who developed severe rejection following discontinuation of the immunosuppressive treatment. It manifested clinically with erythematous maculopapules on the skin and pathologically with graft vasculopathy that affected both large vessels and smaller cutaneous ones. The observation that graft vasculopathy can affect skin vessels shows that it is amenable to diagnosis with usual skin biopsy as recommended for the follow-up of these allografts. Graft vasculopathy developing in the setting of vascularized composite allografts likely represents chronic rejection due to under-immunosuppression and, if confirmed, should be included in a future update of the Banff classification of vascularized composite allograft rejection.

Author(s): Kyamidis, Kyriakos; Lora, Viviana; Kanitakis, Jean

As more data becomes available, the Banff 2007 working classification of skin-containing vascularized composite allograft (VCA) pathology is expected to evolve and develop. This report represents the Banff VCA Working Group's consensus on the first revision of the 2007 scoring system. Prior to the 2022 Banff-CST Joint Meeting, eighty-three clinicians and/or researchers were invited to a virtual meeting to discuss whether the 2007 Banff VCA system called for a revision. Unanimously, it was determined that the vascular changes were to be included in the first revision. Subsequently, two international online surveys, each followed by virtual discussions, were launched. The goals were: 1) to identify which changes define severe rejection, 2) to grade their importance in the evaluation of severe rejection, 3) to identify emerging criteria to diagnose rejection. A final hybrid (in person and virtual) discussion at the Banff/CST join meeting finalized the terminology, the definition, a scoring system, and a reporting system of the vascular changes. This proposal represents an international consensus on this topic and establishes the first revision of the Banff 2007 working classification of skin-containing vascularized composite allograft pathology.