The development of chronic rejection within weeks or months after transplantation in allogeneic organ transplan ts provides a compelling case in favour of the hypothesis that alloimmune reactions playa major pathogenetic role in this syndrome. Although most if not all of the lesions of chronic rejection can also emerge in syngeneic transplants [1,2], it usually takes a much longer time interval to develop in such grafts. In experimental animals, retransplantation of allogeneic kidney or heart transplants back into the original donor strain often prevents the development of chronic rejection if done within a certain time frame [3,4], suggesting that persistent alloimmune reactivity is required for the induction chronic rejection.

Keywords: chronic rejection, kidney transplants, heart transplants, anti bodies