The antigenicity of fascia lata allografts.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether commercially available fascia lata allograft material contains donor antigens.


METHODS
Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) class I and II were assessed in: (i) freeze-dried fascia lata allografts; (ii) a Tutoplast fascia lata graft (Mentor Urology, Santa Barbara, CA, USA); (iii) an acellular dermal graft; and (iv) a successful donor fascia sacrocolpopexy graft one year after implantation, using a polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primer-based assay.


RESULTS
The donor for both the freeze-dried fascia lata and Tutoplast fascia lata was fully HLA-typed. At one year after implantation, antigens from the implanted sacrocolpopexy graft matched the host blood antigens. The antigenicity of the acellular dermal graft could not be ascertained because this material interfered with the assay.


CONCLUSIONS
Donor fascia lata grafts prepared by freeze-drying or by the Tutoplast technique retain donor antigens. The significance of this antigenicity is unknown. All donor antigens are replaced by host antigens after implantation.
Fitzgerald
M P
MP
Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Rush-Presbyterian-St-Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612-3865, USA. mfitzger@rush.edu
Mollenhauer
J
J
Brubaker
L
L
D005206:Fascia Lata / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000276:immunology
D006680:HLA Antigens