The aim of this study is to detect anti-HLA class I and II antibodies in pre- and post-transplantaiton sera of kidney allograft recipients, and determine their specificities.
HLA profiles were determined by the complement dependent microcytotoxicity and by DNA typing (SSP). THe Lymphocytotoxicity crossmacth was performed on all subjects prior to transplantation. The presence and specificity of antibodies in sera of 48 kidney allograft recipients were determined by an ELISA. 1) Antibodies to class and/or class II antigens were detected in post-tranplant sera of 7 patients (14.6%). 2) Antibodies were detected in pre-transplant sera of 6 them. 3) Antibody specificity determined post-transplantation was different from that detected pre-transplantation. 4) Antibodies detected in 5 of the 7 patients were non-donor specific. Donor specific antibodies were detected in the other 2 patients, post-transplantation; one of whose graft failed, and the other had an elevated creatinine level. The initial results of this study concur with the results of a study (Terasaki et. al.) that included 4175 kidney transplant patients. They concluded that the presence of non-donor specific antibodies post-transplantation is indicative of future rejection, and donor specific antibodies appear when rejection occurs.