ABSTRACT
Successful lung transplantation (LT) is only possible with the expert use of immunosuppressive drugs that carefully navigate the path between oversuppression leading to infection and/or malignancy and undersuppression leading to rejection. These drugs are used in various combinations during the three phases of immunosuppression: induction of suppression during the initial phase of transplantation, maintenance of suppression thereafter, and reversal of established rejection (1). The agents frequently used for immunosuppression in solid organ transplantation have been corticosteroids, cyclosporine, azathioprine, tacrolimus, sirolimus, and mycophenolate mofetil. These agents are covered in detail in another chapter in this monograph. Here, we cover the so-called lympholytic immunosuppressants, namely polyclonal antilymphocyte antibodies, anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (MAb), and anti-CD25 MAb. In particular, the use of lympholytics in the context
of induction therapy in LT is emphasized with mention being made of reversal of rejection.
