Immunological reactivity of peripheral lymphocytes in kidney transplant patients

The in vitro lymphocyte response to mitogens (PHA, PWM) and specific antigens (PPD, LPS, histocompatibility antigens), as well as their capacity to form spontaneous SRBC rosettes, was evaluated in 24 renal transplant patients; of these, 13 were studied both before and after kidney graft. The results of our tests, compared to the range of values obtained from healthy controls, show that continuous immunosuppressive therapy does not significantly depress the in vitro mitotic potentiality of lymphocytes in spite of greatly reduced levels of circulating T cells. The in vitro escape of lymphocytes from the action of immunosuppressive drugs frustrated the aim of calibrating the immunodepressive therapy for each patient. A better understanding of the immunosuppression in an individual will perhaps be obtained from a more prolonged observation of the in vitro lymphocyte reactivity in a larger number of patients.