[Specific humoral immunity in the circulation of dogs with allotransplanted lungs].

A method appropriate for identification and quantification of circulating antibodies reacting with donorlungantigens is presented in allogenous lungtransplantation. Following incubation of native tissue-slides taken from the second removed but not grafted donor lung with the recipient's serum, the specific humoral antibodies are detected by indirect immunfluorescence. Quantifying evaluation is performed by serum-dilutions. The preexisting specific antibody-titer found in DLA-sensitized animals shows a significant correlation with the duration of graft function when compared with lymphocytotoxic antibody-titer. In unsensitized dogs a regular appearance of circulating specific antibodies can be seen beginning from the fourth or fifth postoperative day. The increasing antibody-titer during further course is a feature of a humoral graft rejection represented in the periphereal blood-circulation.