Requirement for both MHC and non-MHC antigens residing on the same erythrocyte for donor erythrocyte-mediated prolongation of rat renal allograft survival.

Transfusions of highly purified LEW erythrocytes (E) administered to BN recipients prior to insertion of LEW kidneys markedly prolonged the survival of these allografts (greater than 35 days). Administration of E from syngeneic (BN), third-party (PVG), and MHC-congenic LEW.1N or BN.1L rats did not improve LEW kidney graft survival to the same extent (less than 14 days). BN.1L E were shown to carry at least the same quantity of LEW MHC antigens on their surface as LEW E, thus the failure to prolong LEW kidney graft survival is due to the absence of LEW non-MHC antigens from BN.1L E. Attempts to substitute for this deficiency by mixing LEW.1N E to BN.1L E prior to transfusion failed to restore the beneficial effect, demonstrating that donor E-mediated prolonged renal allograft survival requires the presence of both MHC and non-MHC alloantigens on the same E.