| abstract |
One aspect of the present invention relates to methods and compositions for attenuating xenograft rejection by administering, to an animal receiving the xenograft, an amount of a polymer-derivatized xenoantigen (hereinafter "xenopolymer") effective for inhibiting or lessening the severity of hyperacute rejection response (HAR), or other immunological response to the graft, that is dependent on the presence of the xenoantigen on the grafted tissues or cells. In certain embodiments, the xenopolymer is administered in an amount sufficient to neutralize host antibodies ("xenoreactive antibodies" or "XNA") immunoreactive with the xenoantigen. The xenopolymer may additionally, or alternatively, be used as a tolerogen (or anergen) for the xenoantigen, e.g., able to suppress, to some degree, the production/secretion of XNAs by the immune system of the host. |