Glomerulonephritis due to transplant rejection affecting a patient's own kidneys

The kidneys of a patient were removed 3 months after a cadaveric allograft; histological examination revealed tuberculosis and malignant nephroangiosclerosis. When examined one year later, the graft exhibited lesions of glomerulonephritis and of vascular rejection. Immunoglobulin deposits were shown by immunofluorescence in the patient's own kidneys as well as in the graft; they were isolated by acid elution and in both cases had lymphocytotoxic activity in vitro. It is suggested that the target organ released histocompatibility antigen with formation of antigen antibody complexes which deposited in the patient's own kidneys.