Use of monoclonal antibodies to T-cell subsets for immunologic monitoring and treatment in recipients of renal allografts.
Using monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry, wer serially monitored lymphocyte subpopulations in renal-allograft recipients treated with either conventional immunosuppression or a monoclonal antibody. In 29 patients given conventional suppression, highly significant correlations between changes in T-cell subsets and rejection were noted. Normal or elevated ratios of OKT4 (helper/inducer) to OKT8 (suppressor/cytotoxic) cells were associated with rejection unless the donor was HLA identical or the total number of T cells was extremely low. In patients with low ratios, rejection seldom occurred. Two patients treated with OKT3 monoclonal antibody for acute rejection had rapid disappearance of OKT3-reactive cells from the peripheral blood and prompt reversal of rejection. The use of monoclonal antibodies allows the precise determination of changes in T-cell subsets and promises the development of therapeutic protocols that can be designed to manipulate selected lymphocyte populations.
D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000276:immunology; D003584:Cytological Techniques; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum