Changes in peripheral blood T-cell rosettes in kidney allograft patients during the first postoperative month

This study was undertaken to compare quantitative changes observed in serial determinations of T-cell rosette values during the first 21-28 postoperative days in two groups of cadaver-kidney allograft patients. The antithymocyte (ATG)-treated group received ATG (UpJohn) immunosuppression in addition to a standard regimen of immunosuppressive treatment. the second group did not receive ATG but were also on the same standard immunosuppressive regiment. Absolute number of T-cell rosettes per cubic millimeter and per cent baseline rosettes were determined in each case rather than per cent rosette-forming cells. The results indicate that ATG-treated patients have the most dramatic drop in the levels of peripheral blood T-cell rosettes. Also, 60 per cent of the patients in the untreated group experienced cell-mediated immune (CMI) rejection episodes compared to 17 per cent in the ATG-treated group. This suggests that the high levels of T-cell rosettes in the peripheral blood of kidney allograft recipients may be associated with CMI rejection episodes. These findings indicate that monitoring E-rosette levels in the peripheral blood of allograft patients can provide pertinent information that may lead to accurate predictions of CMI rejection episodes.