Passive enhancement and hyperacute rejection of renal allografts in the rat.

Attempts to induce passive enhancement of renal allografts with donor-specific cytotoxic antibody can result in antibody-mediated damage to the grafted organ. Hyperacute renal allograft rejection occurred in the homozygous DA to Lewis strain combination when Lewis anti-DA serum was administered with guinea pig complement. Hyperacute rejection was prevented in four of five rats when Lewis anti-DA F(ab')2 was injected before the administration of Lewis anti-DA serum and complement and these grafts had enhanced survival. Red blood cell absorption of the Lewis anti-DA serum to produce an anti-Ia-like serum, also removed its ability to produce hyperacute rejection without removing its ability to enhance. With appropriate modifications both of these techniques would be applicable to human transplantation.