Duffy and Kidd blood group antigens: minor histocompatibility antigens involved in renal allograft rejection?
BACKGROUND
Minor histocompatibility antigens have been poorly defined. Whether Duffy (FY) and Kidd (JK), polymorphic and immunogenic blood group antigens, widely distributed in human organs, expressed and functional in the kidney, could function as minor histocompatibility antigens and be implicated in renal allograft rejection was questioned.


METHODS
A retrospective, homogeneous, single-center cohort of 370 renal transplants was analyzed. In all donor/recipient pairs, FY and JK polymorphisms were identified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. In all donor/recipient pairs the matching (m) or mismatching (mm) status was defined for both systems. All biopsies were reviewed, and historical screening results for FY and JK alloantibodies and graft survival were retrospectively analyzed.


RESULTS
Although graft survival was not different between the groups, it was observed that FY mm grafts had significantly more chronic lesions compared to FY m grafts. HLA-DR11 was more frequent in both recipients (p = 0.0081) and donors (p = 0.0104) of FY mm couples without chronic allograft nephropathy, suggesting a protective effect for this molecule. JK mm grafts had more interstitial inflammation than JK m grafts (p = 0.0369).


CONCLUSIONS
This renal model unmasks for the first time the role of FY and-to a lesser extent-JK antigens as minor histocompatibility antigens and suggests their potential role for other clinical transplant settings.
Lerut
Evelyne
E
Department of Morphology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Van Damme
Boudewijn
B
Noizat-Pirenne
France
F
Emonds
Marie-Paule
MP
Rouger
Philippe
P
Vanrenterghem
Yves
Y
Pirenne
Jacques
J
Ansart-Pirenne
Hélène
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004375:Duffy Blood-Group System / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood; D059810:HLA-DR Serological Subtypes; D006648:Histocompatibility; D006801:Humans; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D007667:Kidd Blood-Group System / Q000276:immunology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014019:Tissue Donors
D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D004375:Duffy Blood-Group System; D006680:HLA Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059810:HLA-DR Serological Subtypes; C080766:HLA-DR11 antigen; D007518:Isoantibodies; D007667:Kidd Blood-Group System; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens