The Effect of Preceding Blood Transfusions on the Fate of Homologous Bone Marrow Grafts in Lethally Irradiated Monkeys

Abstract

Abstract Attempts at bone marrow transplantation after total body irradiation in Rhesus monkeys which have received multiple blood transfusions leads only rarely to acceptance of the graft, whereas in animals that were not previously transfused, a take of the graft is the rule. Immunization against subsequent bone marrow transplants was not only observed after transfusions with blood from the future donor, but also after multiple transfusions from unrelated third-party donors. From these observations in monkeys it is concluded that many of the failures to observe a take of attempted bone marrow transplants in man may be related to the fact that the recipient had received multiple blood transfusions prior to transplantation.