Critical Analysis of Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Transplantation

Critical Analysis of Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Transplantation provides a critical analysis of monoclonal antibody therapies in transplantation. The book presents diverse approaches to monoclonal antibody therapy in transplantation and addresses some of the serious obstacles that remain both in understanding these mechanisms and in successfully applying them in clinical situations. The background and rationale for OKT3 therapy are examined and an extensive clinical experience with OKT3 induction therapy in cardiac transplantation is reviewed. The book also examines the background and rationale for the use of anti-TcR (??), anti-IL-2R, and anti-LFA-1 monoclonal antibodies in clinical transplantations. Other topics include the use of monclonal antibodies to CD4 and CD8 for the induction of adult transplantation tolerance in rodents and the possibilities for applying anti-idiotypical strategies that have proven useful in autoimmunity models to transplant recipients. Researchers and basic scientists involved in this field will find the book a fascinating and useful resource for their investigations.