title: The effect of pregnancy on humoral rejection in patients after vascularized organ transplantation.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of pregnancy on the production of donor- and nondonor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen antibodies (anti-HLA Abs) in organ allograft recipients. The study group included four pregnant kidney (RT) and four liver (LT) transplant recipients. The genotype of HLA class I (A, B) and class II (DR) antigens was assessed. Anti-HLA antibodies class I and II were evaluated between 36 and 40 weeks' gestation. Two different control groups consisted of the following: group I (n=8) with nonpregnant RT (n=6) and LT recipients (n=2), and group II with healthy pregnant women (n=10) with anti-HLA Abs detected between 38 and 41 weeks' gestation. The HLA genotype was determined in fathers of the fetuses from the study group and group II controls. Half of group II controls had donor-specific anti-HLA (A, B, and/or DR) Abs, while nondonor-specific anti-HLA Abs were detected in all subjects from that group. Anti-HLA Abs were found in all group II controls. In the study group, anti-HLA Abs were found in only two LT recipients and one RT recipient, but they were not confirmed as donor-specific. Anti-HLA antibodies were not detected in the study group, whereas six out of ten group II controls had anti-HLA Abs against the HLA of the child's father. Pregnancy in vascularized organ recipients does not trigger the mechanism of humoral rejection involving anti-HLA class I and II antibodies with a potentially adverse impact on graft function.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: a_d_cyganek@interia.pl.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cyganek
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: wlojek@AM.edu.pl.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nowaczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Transplant Surgery and Internal Medicine, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: joannaresmer@poczta.onet.pl.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sańko-Resmer
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: bpietrzak@wum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pietrzak
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: barbara.grzechocinska@wum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grzechocińska
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Transplant Surgery and Internal Medicine, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: leszek.paczek@wum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pączek
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Transplant Surgery and Internal Medicine, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland; Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland. Electronic address: mbrodzki@iitd.pan.wroc.pl.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Międzybrodzki
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: miroslaw.wielgos@wum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wielgoś
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D007518:Isoantibodies
keywords: Anti-HLA antibodies; Kidney recipients; Liver recipients; Pregnancy