title: Changes in peripheral blood T-cell rosettes in kidney allograft patients during the first postoperative month.
abstract: This study was undertaken to compare quantitative changes observed in serial determinations of T-cell rosette values during the first 21-28 postoperative days in two groups of cadaver-kidney allograft patients. The antithymocyte (ATG)-treated group received ATG (UpJohn) immunosuppression in addition to a standard regimen of immunosuppressive treatment. the second group did not receive ATG but were also on the same standard immunosuppressive regiment. Absolute number of T-cell rosettes per cubic millimeter and per cent baseline rosettes were determined in each case rather than per cent rosette-forming cells. The results indicate that ATG-treated patients have the most dramatic drop in the levels of peripheral blood T-cell rosettes. Also, 60 per cent of the patients in the untreated group experienced cell-mediated immune (CMI) rejection episodes compared to 17 per cent in the ATG-treated group. This suggests that the high levels of T-cell rosettes in the peripheral blood of kidney allograft recipients may be associated with CMI rejection episodes. These findings indicate that monitoring E-rosette levels in the peripheral blood of allograft patients can provide pertinent information that may lead to accurate predictions of CMI rejection episodes.
mesh_terms: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum