title: Detection of Donor-Derived Microparticles in the Peripheral Blood of a Hand Transplant Recipient During Rejection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microparticles (MPs) are released from the plasma membrane of activated or dying cells and bear surface molecules from those cells. We examined whether donor-derived MPs in the peripheral blood of the recipient could serve as a marker of tissue damage due to rejection of a transplanted hand.
  
  
  METHODS
  Platelet-free plasma from the recipient of the transplanted hand was analyzed for MPs bearing the donor-specific HLA molecule A*02 using flow cytometry. Rejection status of the transplanted hand was monitored by histopathology of skin punch biopsies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Donor-specific MPs expressing HLA A*02 were quantifiable in the peripheral blood of the recipient. Levels of these MPs increased with worsening rejection of the transplanted hand.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings demonstrate the ability to detect donor specific MPs through staining of graft cell-specific HLA and promote further investigation into the potential utility of flow cytometry for donor-derived MPs as a noninvasive tool to assess rejection in solid organ transplantation patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Joseph Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kelesidis
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.; Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Otto O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Yang