Prostaglandin as an effective antirejection therapy in rat renal allograft recipients.

Because adenylate cyclase activators such as prostaglandin E1 elevate lymphocytic cyclic AMP and inhibit T cell proliferation and the effector function of cytotoxic T cells in vitro, we tested the efficacy of 15(S)-15-methyl prostaglandin E1, a prostaglandin derivative with a prolonged biologic half-life. Treatment with this agent resulted in a near complete protection of renal grafts from immunologic damage, despite withholding therapy until day 4 following transplantation.