Enhancement of human kidney allografts by cold B-lymphocyte cytotoxins.

The sera of 233 kidney transplant patients before transplantation were tested by cytotoxicity against a panel of B and T lymphocytes at 5 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The results divided the patients into four groups: those whose sera reacted with B lymphocytes at 5 degrees C; those reacting with B lymphocytes at 5 degrees C and 37 degrees C; those reacting with T lymphocytes at 37 degrees C; and those with no antibodies. The patients with pre-transplant antibodies reactive with B lymphocytes at 5 degrees C had a significantly higher kidney-transplant survival rate at 6 months (70%) and 1 year (65%) than patients who had no antibodies (47% and 46%, respectively). Patients with antibodies reactive at 37 degrees C had a 6-month survival-rate of 38% when reactive against B cells and 43% when reactive against T lymphocytes. The cold cytotoxins were IgM.