[A comparative study of serological, monoclonal antibody and DNA typing in identifying HLA-A].
OBJECTIVE
A double-blind study was carried out to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of PCR-SSP assay in comparison with serology and monoclonal antibody(mAb) typing in identifying HLA-A alleles in Southern Chinese population.


METHODS
A total of 296 samples were entered into the study, including 143 unrelated kidney donors and 153 recipients. HLA-A typing was performed by standard two-stage microlymphocytotoxicity assay, one-step mAb typing and PCR-SSP typing.


RESULTS
All samples were successfully typed by PCR-SSP. Reproducibility was 100%. The results were confirmed by a panel of standard DNAs and a double-blind typing of UCLA tissue typing lab. However, mAb typing(for Asian) in 149 samples showed 2.7% misassignment including 1 antigen being incorrectly interperted and 3 of 26 "blanks" turning out to be definable alleles by DNA typing. Serological discrepancy rate was 15.6% in 147 samples consisting of 8 antigens being incorrectly interpreted, 13 "blanks" turning out to be definable alleles and 2 heterozygotes turning out to be homozygotes by DNA typing.


CONCLUSIONS
HLA-A typing by PCR-SSP proved to be a rapid and accurate technique, suitable for clinical application with a greater precision than serology. In large scale screening, mAb typing (for Asian) is recommended. Antigens of "blanks" or "difficult" by serology or mAb typing should be retyped by DNA typing.
Tan
J
J
Renal Transplant Center, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai 200080.
Tang
X
X
Ding
Y
Y
D000483:Alleles; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004247:DNA / Q000145:classification*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012698:Serologic Tests
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006680:HLA Antigens; D004247:DNA