Sixteen kidney transplant recipients received the IgG2a anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody OKT3 and azathioprine as rejection prophylaxis during the first two postoperative weeks. Concomitant immunosuppression consisted of low dose steroids while cyclosporine A therapy was instituted on day 12. Side effects included fever, bronchospasm, hypotension and diarrhoea. OKT3 caused T cell modulation resulting in CD3 dim +, CD4+ or CD8+, CD5+, WT31- and 11F2-cells. Anti-OKT3 antibodies were found in approximately 50% of the patients. The protocol induced a 100% patient and graft survival and a 81% actuarial freedom of rejection at 18 months. It prevented CsA associated nephrotoxicity in the direct postoperative phase. These beneficial effects outweighed the side effects of OKT3.

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doi.org/10.1007/BF02173528, hdl.handle.net/1765/67502
Biotherapy
Department of Internal Medicine

Weimar, W., Hesse, C., Vaessen, L., Hendriks, G. F. J., Jutte, N., & Jeekel, H. (1990). Rejection prophylaxis with sequential OKT3 and CSA after kidney transplantation. Biotherapy, 2(3), 267–270. doi:10.1007/BF02173528