HLA antibodies present in the sera of sensitized patients awaiting renal transplant are also reactive to swine leukocyte antigens.

Background: To determine whether preformed HLA alloantibodies present in the sera of patients awaiting kidney transplantation will be detrimental to a potential porcine xenograft, we tested their cross-reactivity to swine leukocyte antigens (SLA).

Methods: Sera obtained from patients with varying levels of HLA sensitization (high panel-reactive antibodies > 70%, n= 7; moderate panel-reactive antibodies 30-40%, n=2) were analyzed. Pooled normal human AB sera and sera from nonsensitized patients (n=3) served as negative control.

Increased expression of the HDJ-2 heat shock protein in biopsies of human rejected kidney.

The presence of donor-specific alloreactive helper and cytotoxic T cells has been described in allograft biopsies obtained from individuals undergoing acute allograft rejection of various solid organs. However, not all of these lymphocytes demonstrated specificity to mismatched donor HLA antigens. The identity of the antigens to which these T cells are directed to is still unknown at present.