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Abstract
Eleven patients waiting for homologous renal transplantation were given extracorporeal irradiation to circulating blood at doses of 9000 up to 37,000 rads over 8 up to 31 days.
Only three patients exhibited a significant decrease in the lymphocyte count. No changes were seen in the white cell count or in the hemoglobulin or osmotic fragility of the red cells.
Morphological changes of the cultivated lymphocytes with pycnosis of the nucleus were observed. Chromosome studies in three patients revealed translocation, ring chromosomes and break of the chromosomes.
The capacity of the lymphocytes to incorporate 14C-thymidine in vitro after addition of phytohemagglutinin was significantly inhibited in four of the five patients studied. Following transplantation the course of the irradiated patients was no different from that of patients given conventional immunosuppressive drugs only, but the general impression was that the rejection episodes were less frequent and violent.
It is concluded that relatively high doses are necessary in order to decrease the lymphocyte count. The irradiation-induced chromosome damage as well as inhibited DNA synthesis are more sensitive indicators of the effect of the treatment.