Prolongation of murine islet allograft survival by pretreatment of islets with antibody directed to Ia determinants.

Abstract

Islets of Langerhans treated with donor-specific anti-Ia serum and complement were transplanted across a major histocompatibility barrier into nonimmunosuppressed diabetic mice. The allografts survived in all recipients for at least 200 days after transplantation. Rejection of an established allograft could be induced by i.v. injection of donor splenocytes. Allografts evidently can serve as targets for immune rejection. The possible role of Ia-positive passenger lymphoid cells in initiation of immune rejection was supported. Immunosuppression of the recipient evidently is not a prerequisite for successful transplantion.