Evolution of serum and intra-graft donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies in a patient with two consecutive liver transplantations

Transpl Immunol. 2015 Oct;33(2):58-62. doi: 10.1016/j.trim.2015.08.002. Epub 2015 Aug 28.

Abstract

The current literature suggests that anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies (DSA) may have deleterious effects on liver grafts but there is no proof that they are directly involved in the graft lesions. We report the case of a donor HLA-sensitized patient who needed a second graft 6 months after the first transplantation owing to a progressive cholestatic disease that we could finally attribute to antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). We describe the longitudinal evolution of graft function, tissue histology, serum DSA and, for the first time, intra-graft DSA after elution from biopsies.

Keywords: Antibody elution; Antibody-mediated rejection; Liver biopsy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity
  • Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / diagnosis*
  • Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / surgery
  • Female
  • Graft Rejection / immunology*
  • HLA Antigens / immunology
  • Histocompatibility Testing
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Humoral
  • Isoantibodies / metabolism*
  • Liver / immunology
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Liver Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Reoperation

Substances

  • HLA Antigens
  • Isoantibodies