ROLE OF HUMORAL ANTIBODIES IN REJECTION OF RENAL HOMOGRAFTS BY RABBITS

Twenty-seven rabbits received 1 renal allograft; 13, 2 grafts; and 4, 3 grafts. In most animals, the rejection was accomplished by mononuclear cell infiltration, but in 4 recipients of the first graft, in 7 recipients of the second graft, and in 2 recipients of the third graft, accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes or renal cortical necrosis was noted. These unusual findings were superimposed on mononuclear cell infiltration in the first and second grafts which were rejected within a few days but appeared without such an infiltration in the third grafts, which were rejected within 1 hr. The formation of transplantation antibodies detectable by means of the mixed agglutination test with rabbit cell cultures could be correlated with histological findings. Thus, most but not all animals with transplantation antibodies had an unusual form of graft rejection. Conversely, all rabbits with such rejection did have antibodies. © 1969 by The Williams and Wilkins Co.