Thymus-dependent lymphocytes in tissue sections of rejecting rat renal allografts

Lewis kidneys were grafted into BN recipients and examined at daily intervals up to 6 days after grafting with immunofluorescent reagents. A horse antiserum specific for T lymphocytes revealed an increasing number of T lymphocytes in the cellular infiltrates of rejecting allografts. These were detectable 1 day after grafting, reached a maximum 3 days later, and were relatively diminished at 6 days. In control isografts and nonimmunological inflammations of kidney, a small number of dispersed T lymphocytes was seen. A rabbit antirat thymocyte antiserum, given to allografted BN rats, prolonged survival of the grafts and decreased the cellular infiltrate and the number of T lymphocytes in the infiltrates. We conclude that in graft rejection there is a flow of T lymphocytes into areas of tissue damage and these T lymphocytes are immunologically reactive to graft antigens.