Improved renal allograft survival after blood transfusion: a nonspecific, erythrocyte-mediated immunoregulatory process?

Phagocytosis of altered red blood cells in vitro by mononuclear phagocytic cells is followed by profound depression of bystander lymphocytes' responses to antigen. Rapid endocytosis of transfused erythrocytes in vivo may transiently impair mononuclear phagocytic cell function, resulting in immunological unresponsiveness as observed in vitro. Transplantation at this time would be predicted to benefit from this attenuation of recipient immunocompetence, resulting in improved graft survival.