Antilymphoid Sera in Renal Allotransplantation

BECAUSE of observations by others^1-7 on the effects of heterologous antilymphoid sera (ALS) and experiences in the laboratory with the use of antithymus serum as the single immunosuppressive agent in achieving prolongation of survival of allografts of skin (P. Sutthiwan et al, unpublished data) and xenografts of tumor in mice⁸ we decided to test the immunosuppressive effects of such sera in the allografting of livers and kidneys in dogs, and subsequently to proceed with a trial of the material in the clinical renal transplant program at the Mayo Clinic. The experiments involving hepatic allografting in dogs have been reported elsewhere,⁹ and the purposes of this presentation are to describe the results obtained in canine renal allografting and to review the findings of a preliminary clinical trial in human beings. In animals, the sera were used as the sole means of immunosuppression; in the clinical situation, however, testing