The use of monoclonal antibodies to achieve immunological tolerance.

Monoclonal antibodies are potentially useful immunosuppressive agents. Short courses of CD4/CD8 monoclonal antibody can be used to guide the immune system of experimental animals to accept organ grafts and to arrest autoimmunity. This reprogramming is accompanied by potent T-cell dependent, 'infectious' regulatory mechanisms. A goal for therapeutic immunosuppression should be to understand and harness these innate immunoregulatory mechanisms.