Effect of combined immunosuppressive-cytostatic treatment on antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of patients with chronic glomerulonephritis.

Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity by peripheral blood mononuclear cells was evaluated in 25 patients with chronic glomerulonephritis before and after combined vinblastine-cyclophosphamide-6-mercaptopurine-prednisolone therapy. Purified peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the patients mediated normal killed activity before the treatment and a strong suppression of their cytotoxic capacity was observed after the therapy. The possible significance of the inhibitory effect of immunosuppressive cytostatic treatment on human antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity is discussed.