title: FN18-CRM9 immunotoxin promotes tolerance in primate renal allografts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transplant tolerance, rather than immunity, may be favored in the setting of a lower mature lymphoid mass in the recipient induced by anti-T cell agents. A novel immunosuppressive agent, FN18-CRM9, known to specifically kill T cells with great potency, was evaluated in a transplant model.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to ablate recipient T cells, the immunotoxin FN18-CRM9 was administered to rhesus monkey recipients of MHC-mismatched renal allografts. Donor lymphocytes were injected intrathymically into some animals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All monkeys with T-cell depletion by immunotoxin had prolonged allograft survival, and tolerance confirmed by skin grafting has been confirmed in five of six long-surviving recipients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this clinically relevant model, profound but transient T-cell depletion by a single agent substantially promotes tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53792, USA.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Knechtle
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vargo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fechner
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hanaway
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scharff
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Neville
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000922:Immunotoxins