Lymphokine responses to mitogenic and antigenic stimulation. Predictive value in renal transplantation

Immune responsiveness of recipients of renal transplants from cadaver donors was monitored by measuring lymphokine responses to specific (donor antigen) and nonspecific (concanavalin A (Con A)) stimuli. Production of migration inhibition factor (MIF) in response to stimulation by Con A before and 3 days after transplantation correlated strongly with graft rejection and production of migration stimulation factor (MSTF) with graft acceptance. This pattern continued at later time intervals but was more variable. An initial vigorous MIF response to donor cell extract was associated with rejection but subsequent responses to donor extract in the 1st month after transplantation were variable and not predictive of the outcome. In some cases, there was clearly a dissociation of lymphokine responses to donor-specific and nonspecific stimuli.