Comparison of cytotoxic and agglutinating antibodies in the sera of parous women.

Abstract

SUMMARY Since 19GG, there has been disappointingly little increase in survival lime of cadaver kidney allografts. One of the possible reasons for this is that lymphocytotoxicity may be insufficiently specific or sensitive to detect all of the preformed antibodies in recipient sera or to fully delineate the lymphocyte antigen profiles of donor and recipient. We have compared Terasaki's microlymphocytotoxicity test (CYT) with Payne's macroleukoaggultination (AGG) and the leukocyte capillary agglutination test (CAT) of Thompson and Severson. Sera from 505 parous women were tested against a constant cell panel representing IS HL-A antigens. In 40% of positive sera antibodies were detectable only by CAT and/or AGG. One serum that was entirely CYT- and AGG-ncgative showed excellent correlation with HL-A7 in the CAT reactions. Some other CAT and AGG discrepancies with CYT could be explained by HL-A cross reactivity. In one large family, the CAT and AGG specificity segregated independently of the HL-A locus and correlated closely with van Rood's 5a antigen. It is not known whether capillary agglutinating and leukoagglutinating antibodies are harmful or beneficial in the allograft situation, but their presence should not be overlooked.