Role of T-Cell-Subset Monitoring in Renal-Allograft Recipients

To the Editor: Using flow cytometry to study lymphocytes labeled with monoclonal antibodies, one can monitor the various T-cell subsets present in the peripheral blood of recipients of renal allografts. Cosimi et al. have reported that rejection is usually associated with an elevation in the ratio of cells labeling with OKT4 (helper/inducer T cells) to those labeling with OKT8 (suppressor/cytotoxic T cells), and that rejection seldom occurs in patients with a T4/T8 ratio of less than 1.3 (August 6 issue).* We initially studied T-cell subsets at least once weekly for three to five weeks after transplantation in seven patients treated . . . No extract is available for articles shorter than 400 words.