Transplantation tolerance produced with histocompatibility antigen-cell conjugates

The rationale for our efforts to induce immunologic tolerance includes the intravenous presentation of antigen, the employment of autologous lymphoid cells as tolerogenic self-carriers, and the utilization of a nonimmunogenic form of donor histocompatibility antigen. Experiments to date have shown that histocompatibility-antigen-carrier-cell conjugates are effective humoral tolerogens that prevent or reduce the antibody response to allogeneic cells in rats. The optimal effect is achieved by pretreating with a dose of 106 or 107 conjugated cells on days 9 or 10 before challenge. The effect on cellular immunity is less clear. At the same times of pretreatment and with the same doses of conjugated cells that proved to be most efficacious for producing humoral unresponsiveness, ACI heart graft survival is prolonged in the Buffalo strain of rats, but not in the LEW strain.

Duke Scholars

Author Ralph Randal Bollinger Surgery