Detection of Anti-HLA Antibodies Produced After Transplantation in Renal Transplants and Evaluation of Its Association with the Other Parameters

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the immunological response to graft and its association with related factors in the sera samples collected periodically from patients transplanted from deceased or alive donors in Izmir Tepecik Education and Research Hospital. Material and Method: Anti-HLA antibody screening and identification tests of 31 patient sera samples were performed by flow cytometric method. The sera samples were collected periodically (1st day, 1st week, 2nd week, 4th week, 12th week, 24th week and 52nd week) after transplantations in our hospital. After the screening of all samples, anti-HLA antibodies of PRA positive samples were identified. All of procedures were performed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The other parameters were statistically evaluated by Pearson correlation test. Results: Of the patients, 12.9% and 6.45% were only class I and II positive in the post-transplant 52nd week, respectively. None of the patients was class I and II positive. It was found that antibodies were not produced against mismatched antigens on the 1st day, 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 12th weeks after transplantation. The antibodies were produced 24 weeks after transplantation in some cases. However, the results could not be evaluated statistically because of the small patient group. There were statistically significant correlations between last creatinine levels-donor ages and GFR values-patient ages (p<0.001, p<0.01, respectively), whereas there was no significant association between antibody production and creatinine levels. Conclusion: It was observed that anti-HLA antibodies were produced before transplantation in a patient with pre-transplant blood transfusion. The antibodies were produced in 24th week in five patients. Therefore, anti-HLA antibody screening tests to be performed on the 12th week after transplantation may be important for the treatment protocol