HLA class II DQA and DQB epitopes: recognition of the likely binding sites of HLA-DQ alloantibodies eluted from recombinant HLA-DQ single antigen cell lines.

Donor-specific antibodies (DSA) in sera of sensitized transplant patients are often produced against the specific epitopes on mismatched HLA antigens. In this study, we selected sera from 30 kidney transplant patients with DSA and AMR to define DQ epitopes. Using adsorption and elution assays, we identified 18 antibody reaction patterns to define 6 new epitopes and to confirm 12 previously defined epitopes.