Reactive Lymphocyte Blastogenesis in Patients with Transplanted Kidney

Reactive lymphocyte blastogenesis (RLB) was investigated in 13 recipients of renal transplantation, 7 patients with surgical diseases, 3 donors, and a patient with wound infection. Lymphocyte blastogenesis was assayed by 3H-thymidine uptake of peripheral lymphocytes. In the recipients, 3H-thymidine uptake often increased markedly after grafting. 3H-thymidine uptake decreased after removal of the rejected kidney. In the recipients who showed increased uptake of 3H-thymidine, cell infiltration in the grafts was remarkable. Rejection crisis was diagnosed or suspected in these recipients, but no clearcut correlation with rejection crisis and lymphocyte blastogenesis could be proved. 3H-thymidine uptake often increased after surgical operation or infection. These results suggest that peripheral lymphocytes are very reactive against immunological stimuli and may provide useful information in immuno-logical monitoring of recipients.