ALLOGENEIC RED BLOOD CELLS FAIL TO INDUCE HAEMAGGLUTINATING ANTIBODIES OR CELLULAR ALLOIMMUNITY IN RATS AND ARE IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE

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Abstract
Purified rat red blood cells [RBC], which express the A region antigens of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) with which anti-RT-1 (H-1; Ag-B) hemagglutinins combine, failed to stimulate the production of hemagglutinating antibodies or cellular immunity in allogeneic hosts. Allogeneic RBC may in appropriate circumstances be mildly immunosuppressive. I.p. injected allogeneic RBC persisted in the host circulation for several weeks. The immune response to skin allografts did not accelerate the destruction of circulating donor strain RBC, although the administration of alloantiserum with a high hemagglutinin titer can do so. The manner in which allogeneic RBC effect immunosuppression is unknown. Approximately 75% of the RBC administered i.v. to nonimmune allogeneic hosts were destroyed, by unknown mechanisms during the 1st 6 days after injection. About 1/2 of this number of RBC were destroyed by syngeneic hosts during the same period. RBC and platelets in rodents are probably similar in expressing A region (rats) or K-D region (mice) antigens of the MHC, in being nonimmunogenic by themselves and in their capacity for effecting limited immunosuppression. If human platelets have similar attributes, the administration of platelets bearing the appropriate HLA-A, B and C antigens may be a useful adjunct to conventional immunosuppression in the management of allografts in man. The platelet component of blood transfusions may account for their beneficial effect in some renal allograft recipients.

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