Donor specific suppressor cells in association with rejection of a renal allograft.

Details are presented of three aspects of immunological monitoring in a single instance of severe irreversible rejection of a renal allograft. Rejection is associated with strong evidence of lymphocyte mediated cytotoxicity (LMC). During this period reduced responsiveness of recipient cells to stimulation in vitro by donor cells is observed; this is more reduced than is responsiveness to random cells.

Fibroblast lysis by lymphocytes from normal persons and SLE patients on short-term cultures.

Lymphocytes from thirty-six normal individuals of both sexes with ages ranging from 4-89 years were tested for their cytotoxic activity against short term cluters of fibroblasts from nine foetal umbilical cords and nine adult skin samples. Wide variability in the amount of fibroblast lysis was observed. Adult male lymphocytes caused significantly higher lytic activity than lymphocytes of adult females against both types of targets.

Binding of 125I-labelled encephalitogenic basic protein to normal lymphocytes. Inhibition with multiple sclerosis serum.

A sheep lymphocyte 125I-labelled human encephalitogenic basic protein (125I-BP) binding assay was used to study the correlation of 125I-BP binding with the diagnosis and status of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. MS serum generally caused significant inhibition of binding, and serum from MS patients in remission caused significantly more inhibition than serum from MS patients in relapse. Serum inhibition increased in association with improvement in neurological status in three out of four MS patients studied for more than 10 months.

An antibody to isogeneic fibroblasts in the serum of diseased NZB mice.

We have described a new autoantibody present in the serum of diseased NZB mice reactive with autochthonous and syngeneic fibroblasts. Allogeneic cells are not affected. This antibody can be specifically absorbed both by fibroblasts and lymphocytes from NZB but not from control mice.