Transfer of donor anti-HLA antibody expression to multiple transplant recipients: A potential variant of the passenger lymphocyte syndrome?

Abstract

Antibody-mediated rejection, whereby transplant recipient B cells and/or plasma cells produce alloreactive anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies, negatively influences transplant outcomes and is a major contributor to graft loss. An early humoral immune response is suggested by the production of anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies (DSA) that can be measured using solid phase assays. We report the early posttransplant coexistence of a shared anti-HLA antibody profile in 5 solid organ transplant recipients who received organs from the same donor. Retrospective analysis of the donor's serum confirmed the presence of the same anti-HLA profile, suggesting the transfer of donor-derived anti..