The detection of circulating immune complexes in renal transplant patients.

The Raji cell assay and radiolabelled Clq binding method were used to detect circulating immune complexes in the sera of renal transplant patients. Complexes were found in seven of twelve patients using the Raji cell assay; only one serum sample was positive by the Clq method. In five patients the complexes were detected prior to the clinical diagnosis of rejection and in those in whom treatment reversed the rejection the complexes rapidly disappeared. The presence of complexes correlated with a vascular type of rejection characterised by fibrin deposits in the glomeruli in the absence of immunoglobulin or C3 deposits. In two patients, in whom anti red cell antibodies were present, irreversible rejection occurred without the presence of detectable complexes in the sera.