The effect of anti-interleukin-2 receptor monoclonal antibody on allograft rejection.
During immune response to an allograft, activated T cells express a number of cell surface activation antigens, among them the membrane receptor for the lymphokine interleukin 2 (IL-2). As the IL-2 receptor is not present on resting T cells, it offers an attractive target for potentially specific immunosuppressive therapy. The rat monoclonal antibody M7/20, which binds to the murine IL-2 receptor, was studied for its effect on allograft survival in two H-2-incompatible strain combinations in inbred mice. Treatment with M7/20 for 10 days markedly prolonged survival of vascularized, heterotopic heart allografts in both strain combinations, with indefinite graft survival in 50% of recipients. The same treatment significantly prolonged skin allograft survival in one of the two combinations. The results support the important role of the IL-2 receptor in the mechanism of graft rejection and confirm its suitability as a target for immunosuppressive therapy in transplantation.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013045:Species Specificity; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2