Use of the Butantan’s anti-CD3 in renal transplantation

Abstract

Purposes: The monoclonal anti-CD3 antibody has been used as induction and to treat acute rejection episodes in organ transplantation. This retrospective study reports a trial in three Brazilian transplantation centers, which have used a national anti-CD3 preparation developed by the Butantan Institute (São Paulo, Brazil), in renal transplant patients. Methods: Twenty-five patients have used anti-CD3 as induction therapy (n=9) or to treat acute rejection (n=16). Results: Most patients (89%) using anti-CD3 for induction were sensitized, and 33% of cases experienced acute rejection. The therapeutic use was indicated to treat cortical-resistant rejection or episodes of major histological severity, and it promoted the clinical reversion in 69% of cases. In the majority of patients, the use of the Butantan CD3 reduced the amount of CD3+ cells to lower than 30cells/mm³ at the second treatment day. Most frequent adverse event was fever, and bacterial and viral infections in 13 and 10 patients, respectively. Up to the middle of the 8 follow-up years, no tumor case was reported. Conclusion: Concluding, the use of Butantan anti-CD3 has shown effectiveness in preventing and to treat acute rejection in renal transplantation.