title: Donor-specific sensitization by cadaveric venous allografts used for arterial reconstruction in peripheral arterial occlusive vascular disease.
abstract: The use of allogeneic venous grafts from postmortal organ donors allows for the reconstruction of critically affected arteries in patients with peripheral occlusive vascular disease. We were interested to determine the prevalence and specificity of anti-HLA antibodies in patients after allogeneic vein transplantation. Anti-HLA class I and II alloantibodies were analyzed by flowcytometric analysis using color-coded microbeads coated with HLA antigens including recombinant single antigens. Nine out of 10 patients involving 12 venous allografts were positive for anti-HLA alloantibodies. All antibody-positive patients carried both anti-HLA class I and II alloantibodies. Anti-donor HLA specificity of the anti-HLA alloantibodies was seen in seven out of nine patients for anti-class I antibodies and in eight out of nine patients for anti-HLA class II antibodies. A high rate of donor-specific allosensitization was seen after allogeneic venous transplantation. In conclusion, allosensitization not only includes a humoral response against the constitutively expressed class I antigens but also extends to class II antigens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery and Kidney Transplantation, University Medical Center, University of Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Balzer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Luther
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sandmann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wassmuth
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery*; D001705:Bioprosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D006801:Humans; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007518:Isoantibodies