Anti-lymphocyte globulin

Anti-lymphocyte globulin (ALG) is an infusion of horse-derived or more commonly rabbit-derived antibodies against human T cells which is used in the treatment of acute rejection in organ transplantation, especially in kidney transplants.

It has also been used in the treatment of anemia.cite journal |author=Kaya B, Davies CE, Oakervee HE, Silver NC, Gawler J, Cavenagh JD |title=Guillain Barré syndrome precipitated by the use of antilymphocyte globulin in the treatment of severe aplastic anaemia |journal=J. Clin. Pathol. |volume=58 |issue=9 |pages=994–5 |year=2005 |month=September |pmid=16126887 |pmc=1770826 |doi=10.1136/jcp.2004.020354 |url=http://jcp.bmj.com/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=16126887]

It is less commonly used than the similar anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG), and like ATG it is associated with cytokine release syndrome in the short term and an increased risk of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in the long term. ALG is more likely to cause side effects than ATG, but is safer than OKT3.

One notable source of ALG was a horse called Volcano, who lived in South America.cite journal |author=Heimpel H |title=Aplastic anemia before bone marrow transplantation and antilymphocyte globulin |journal=Acta Haematol. |volume=103 |issue=1 |pages=11–5 |year=2000 |pmid=10705153 |doi= |url=http://content.karger.com/produktedb/produkte.asp?typ=fulltext&file=aha03011] At one point in the mid 1990s, the world's entire supply of ALG came this horse.Fact|date=September 2008

References