The effect of timing of multiple donor-specific or nonspecific blood transfusions on skin allograft survival in ALS-treated mice.

The effect of timing of multiple transfusions on skin allograft survival in antilymphocyte serum (ALS)-treated mice was studied using donor-specific or nonspecific transfusions. Transfusions were given every 4, 7, 14, or 21 days and skin grafting was done 10 days after the last transfusion. To study the effect of donor-specific transfusion, four DBA/2 transfusions were given to ALS-treated B6AF1 recipients followed by grafting with DBA/2 skin. To study the effect of nonspecific transfusions, five CF1 transfusions were given to ALS-treated B6AF1 mice, followed by grafting with C3H/He skin. Transfusions of both donor-specific and nonspecific blood every 4 days had no effect on prolonging graft survival, compared with ALS-treated controls. Transfusions of both types of blood every 7, 14, or 21 days significantly prolonged graft survival, with maximum survival observed in the group receiving transfusions every 14 days. The effect of varying the interval between the last transfusion and skin grafting was studied using multiple transfusions of nonspecific blood. Five weekly CF1 blood transfusions were given to ALS-treated B6AF1 mice. Skin grafting with C3H/He skin was done 2, 5, 10, 30, or 60 days after the last (5th) transfusion. Maximum graft prolongation was achieved when grafting was done 2 days after the last transfusion. Significant graft prolongation was also achieved when grafting was done 5, 10, or 30 days after the last transfusion. Of the mice grafted 60 days after the last transfusion, 60% showed no graft prolongation compared with controls, and survival of 40% of the grafts in this group was prolonged.