Sharing kidneys across donor-service area boundaries with sensitized candidates can be influenced by HLA C.

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) implemented the virtual crossmatch system in UNet as a way to improve the likelihood of a negative crossmatch when kidneys are shared with HLA-sensitized candidates across donor service area (DSA) boundaries. The role of HLA C in that process is not universally appreciated. We recently experienced an unexpected positive flow T and B cell crossmatch for an imported, HLA zero-mismatched kidney because of donor-specific HLA C antibodies and transplanted it into the backup candidate.

Successful treatment of Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis with plasma exchange in an adult male.

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) frequently occurs in children under 15 years of age but is quite rare in adults. Most children who develop HSP nephritis completely recover from the illness, whereas up to 40% of adults have persistent hematuria and 10% develop chronic renal failure. Plasma exchange alone has been shown to be beneficial in children who have HSP nephritis.

Successful renal transplantation despite low levels of donor-specific HLA class I antibody without IVIg or plasmapheresis.

We prospectively transplanted 10 primary kidney recipients with deceased donor organs (nine kidney and one pancreas/kidney) when their flow cytometric T-cell IgG, HLA class I donor-specific crossmatch was positive but the AHG T-cell crossmatch was negative, with a median follow-up of 1.8 yr. No pre- or peri-operative IVIg or plasmapheresis was administered to any patient.

Tetralogy of Fallot, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and Down's syndrome: a rare and challenging combination.

A case of the combination of tetralogy of Fallot, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and Down's syndrome is reported here and is the first report on the combination of the 3 entities. Tetralogy of Fallot is often associated with chromosomal aberration, while hypertrophic cardiomyopathy associates with certain gene loci. Our experience with treating this patient, although ultimately unsuccessful, may provide useful information in any future cases.

HLA points assigned in cadaveric kidney allocation should be revisited: an analysis of HLA class II molecularly typed patients and donors.

The points now assigned for the quality of HLA match have received significant scrutiny to be modified in an effort to help reduce disparity in access to kidneys of minority groups, and since differences in graft survival between groups of patients in each of the HLA matched groups is less now than in the past. We analyzed long-term (5-year) graft survival in 746 DR DNA typed recipients of cadaveric kidneys transplanted from 1994-2001 whose donors were also DR DNA typed, with allocation based on those DNA-based typings. Five-year graft survival was not significantly different for recipient groups irrespective of if they had zero (84%), one (92%), two (89%), or three to four B, DR mismatches (79%) (log-rank = 0.

Flow cytometry beads rather than the antihuman globulin method should be used to detect HLA Class I IgG antibody (PRA) in cadaveric renal regraft candidates.

HLA Class I antibody screening can be performed by flow cytometry using a mixture of 30 distinct bead populations each coated with the Class I antigen phenotype derived from different cell lines. In this study we compared the efficacy of Class I antibody screens done by flow cytometry beads with the antihuman globulin (AHG) method for patients awaiting cadaveric renal retransplantation. Class I panel reactive antibody (PRA) screening by flow cytometric beads of 21 regraft serum samples that had all been found to be negative by AHG DTT Class I PRA, revealed that 57.

Novel collagen glomerulopathy in a homotrimeric type I collagen mouse (oim).

Background: Oim/oim mice [osteogenesis imperfecta model; homozygous null for the proalpha2(I) collagen gene] synthesize exclusively the homotrimeric type I collagen isotype, alpha1(I)3, and are unable to synthesize the normal heterotrimeric type I collagen isotype, alpha1(I)2alpha2(I). Previous studies of the oim/oim mouse have focused on the musculoskeletal system, with no systematic evaluation of other organ systems.

Methods: Multiple tissues from oim/oim, oim/+ (heterozygous) and +/+ (wild-type) mice were examined for gross and histological abnormalities.