title: The role of antibodies in transplantation.
abstract: For the past 40 years, T cells have been considered the primary threat to the survival of allografts. However, antibodies can induce severe vascular disease of organ transplants, and this disease, particularly "antibody-mediated" rejection, has become a major clinical challenge. Not only do antibodies cause rejection, the rejection caused by antibodies resists treatment by conventional drug regimens. On the other hand, antibodies can induce a condition in which grafts seemingly resist antibody-mediated injury, which is accommodation. In this communication, we discuss the role of antibodies in the diagnosis and pathogenesis of rejection and accommodation, and suggest what we considered the major gaps in knowledge and directions research into this subject might productively take.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jeffrey L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Platt
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000276:immunology; D000208:Acute Disease; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000276:immunology*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic