Effect of cyclosporin, previous third-party transfusion, and pregnancy on antibody development after donor-specific transfusion before renal transplantation.

Non-cytotoxic and cytotoxic antibodies were sought after donor-specific transfusion (DST) in 12 potential renal transplant recipients given concomitant cyclosporin therapy and 13 given DST alone. Non-cytotoxic antibodies, which have been shown to develop after third-party transfusion and to be associated with successful transplantation, developed after DST whether or not cyclosporin was given. Donor and panel reactive lymphocytotoxic antibodies developed relatively infrequently after DST with or without cyclosporin. Donor-specific sensitisation occurred only in patients who were multiparous or had over 10 third-party transfusions. Non-cytotoxic Fc-receptor-blocking antibodies may play a part in the improved survival of one-haplotype-mismatched transplants pretreated with DST.