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Matern BM, Spierings E, Bandstra S, Madbouly A, Schaub S, Weimer ET, Niemann M. Quantifying uncertainty of molecular mismatch introduced by mislabeled ancestry using haplotype-based HLA genotype imputation. Front Genet 2024; 15:1444554. [PMID: 39385936 PMCID: PMC11461215 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1444554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 09/12/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Modern histocompatibility algorithms depend on the comparison and analysis of high-resolution HLA protein sequences and structures, especially when considering epitope-based algorithms, which aim to model the interactions involved in antibody or T cell binding. HLA genotype imputation can be performed in the cases where only low/intermediate-resolution HLA genotype is available or if specific loci are missing, and by providing an individuals' race/ethnicity/ancestry information, imputation results can be more accurate. This study assesses the effect of imputing high-resolution genotypes on molecular mismatch scores under a variety of ancestry assumptions. Methods We compared molecular matching scores from "ground-truth" high-resolution genotypes against scores from genotypes which are imputed from low-resolution genotypes. Analysis was focused on a simulated patient-donor dataset and confirmed using two real-world datasets, and deviations were aggregated based on various ancestry assumptions. Results We observed that using multiple imputation generally results in lower error in molecular matching scores compared to single imputation, and that using the correct ancestry assumptions can reduce error introduced during imputation. Discussion We conclude that for epitope analysis, imputation is a valuable and low-risk strategy, as long as care is taken regarding epitope analysis context, ancestry assumptions, and (multiple) imputation strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric Spierings
- Center for Translational Immunology and Central Diagnostics Laboratory, University Medical Center, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | - Abeer Madbouly
- Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Stefan Schaub
- Clinic for Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Transplantation Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- HLA-Diagnostics and Immunogenetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eric T. Weimer
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, McLendon Clinical Laboratories, UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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Wong ETY, Pochinco D, Vathsala A, Koh WK, Lim A, Sran HK, D'Costa MR, Chang ZY, Nickerson PW, Wiebe C. HLA-DR/DQ eplet mismatch predicts de novo donor-specific antibody development in multi-ethnic Southeast Asian kidney transplant recipients on different immunosuppression regimens. Front Genet 2024; 15:1447141. [PMID: 39262421 PMCID: PMC11387181 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1447141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Eplet mismatch has been recognized as a more precise strategy for determining HLA compatibility by analyzing donor-recipient HLA differences at the molecular level. However, predicting post-transplant alloimmunity using single-molecule eplet mismatch categories has not been validated in Asian cohorts. We examined a cohort of Southeast Asian kidney transplant recipients (n = 234) to evaluate HLA-DR/DQ eplet mismatch as a predictor of de novo donor-specific antibody (dnDSA) development. HLA-DR/DQ single-molecule eplet mismatch was quantified using HLA Matchmaker, and we utilized previously published HLA-DR/DQ eplet mismatch thresholds to categorize recipients into alloimmune risk groups and evaluate their association with dnDSA development. Recognizing that the predominance of cyclosporine use (71%) may alter published eplet mismatch thresholds derived from a largely tacrolimus-based (87%) cohort, we evaluated cohort-specific thresholds for HLA-DR/DQ single-molecule eplet mismatch categories. Recipient ethnicities included Chinese (65%), Malays (17%), Indians (14%), and others (4%). HLA-DR/DQ dnDSA developed in 29/234 (12%) recipients after a median follow-up of 5.4 years, including against isolated HLA-DR (n = 7), isolated HLA-DQ (n = 11), or both (n = 11). HLA-DR/DQ single-molecule eplet mismatch risk categories correlated with dnDSA-free survival (p = 0.001) with low-risk recipients having a dnDSA prevalence of 1% over 5 years. The cohort-specific alloimmune risk categories improved correlation with HLA-DR/DQ dnDSA-free survival and remained significant after adjusting for calcineurin inhibitor and anti-metabolite immunosuppression (p < 0.001). We validated the performance of single-molecule eplet mismatch categories as a prognostic biomarker for HLA-DR/DQ dnDSA development in a cohort of predominantly Asian kidney transplant recipients after adjusting for different immunosuppression regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmett Tsz Yeung Wong
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- National University Centre for Organ Transplantation, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | - Anantharaman Vathsala
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- National University Centre for Organ Transplantation, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wee Kun Koh
- National University Centre for Organ Transplantation, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Amy Lim
- National University Centre for Organ Transplantation, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hersharan Kaur Sran
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- National University Centre for Organ Transplantation, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Matthew Ross D'Costa
- National University Centre for Organ Transplantation, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zi Yun Chang
- National University Centre for Organ Transplantation, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Peter W Nickerson
- Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Shared Health Services Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Chris Wiebe
- Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Shared Health Services Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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Crane C, Niemann M, Dale B, Gragert L, Shah M, Ingulli E, Morris GP. High-resolution HLA genotyping improves PIRCHE-II assessment of molecular mismatching in kidney transplantation. Hum Immunol 2024; 85:110813. [PMID: 38749805 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2024.110813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
HLA matching in solid organ transplant is performed with the aim of assessing immunologic compatibility in order to avoid hyperacute rejection and assess the risk of future rejection events. Molecular mismatch algorithms are intended to improve granularity in histocompatibility assessment and risk stratification. PIRCHE-II uses HLA genotyping to predict indirectly presented mismatched donor HLA peptides, though most clinical validation studies rely on imputing high resolution (HR) genotypes from low resolution (LR) typing data. We hypothesized that use of bona fide HR typing could overcome limitations in imputation, improving accuracy and predictive ability for donor-specific antibody development and acute rejection. We performed a retrospective analysis of adult and pediatric kidney transplant donor/recipient pairs (N = 419) with HR typing and compared the use of imputed LR genotyping verses HR genotyping for PIRCHE-II analysis and outcomes. Imputation success was highly dependent on the reference population used, as using historic Caucasian reference populations resulted in 10 % of pairs with unsuccessful imputation while multiethnic reference populations improved successful imputation with only 1 % unable to be imputed. Comparing PIRCHE-II analysis with HR and LR genotyping produced notably different results, with 20 % of patients discrepantly classified to immunologic risk groups. These data emphasize the importance of using multiethnic reference panels when performing imputation and indicate HR HLA genotyping has clinically meaningful benefit for PIRCHE-II analysis compared to imputed LR typing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarkson Crane
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | | | - Loren Gragert
- Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Mita Shah
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Elizabeth Ingulli
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Gerald P Morris
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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Wiebe C, Balshaw R, Gibson IW, Ho J, Shaw J, Karpinski M, Trachtenberg A, Pochinco D, Goldberg A, Birk P, Pinsk M, Rush DN, Nickerson PW. A rational approach to guide cost-effective de novo donor-specific antibody surveillance with tacrolimus immunosuppression. Am J Transplant 2023; 23:1882-1892. [PMID: 37543094 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajt.2023.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
De novo donor-specific antibody (dnDSA) after renal transplantation has been shown to correlate with antibody-mediated rejection and allograft loss. However, the lack of proven interventions and the time and cost associated with annual screening for dnDSA are difficult to justify for all recipients. We studied a well-characterized consecutive cohort (n = 949) with over 15 years of prospective dnDSA surveillance to identify risk factors that would help institute a resource-responsible surveillance strategy. Younger recipient age and HLA-DR/DQ molecular mismatch were independent predictors of dnDSA development. Combining both risk factors into recipient age molecular mismatch categories, we found that 52% of recipients could be categorized as low-risk for dnDSA development (median subclinical dnDSA-free survival at 5 and 10 years, 98% and 97%, respectively). After adjustment, multivariate correlates of dnDSA development included tacrolimus versus cyclosporin maintenance immunosuppression (hazard ratio [HR], 0.37; 95% CI, 0.2-0.6; P < .0001) and recipient age molecular mismatch category: intermediate versus low (HR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.5-4.2; P = .0007), high versus intermediate (HR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.6-4.2; P = .0002), and high versus low (HR, 6.36; 95% CI, 3.7-10.8; P < .00001). When combined, recipient age and HLA-DR/DQ molecular mismatch provide a novel data-driven approach to reduce testing by >50% while selecting those most likely to benefit from dnDSA surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Wiebe
- Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Shared Health Services Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
| | - Rob Balshaw
- George and Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Ian W Gibson
- Shared Health Services Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Pathology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Julie Ho
- Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Shared Health Services Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Jamie Shaw
- Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Martin Karpinski
- Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Aaron Trachtenberg
- Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | | | - Aviva Goldberg
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Patricia Birk
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Maury Pinsk
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - David N Rush
- Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Shared Health Services Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Peter W Nickerson
- Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Shared Health Services Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Seeking Standardized Definitions for HLA-incompatible Kidney Transplants: A Systematic Review. Transplantation 2023; 107:231-253. [PMID: 35915547 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000004262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is no standard definition for "HLA incompatible" transplants. For the first time, we systematically assessed how HLA incompatibility was defined in contemporary peer-reviewed publications and its prognostic implication to transplant outcomes. METHODS We combined 2 independent searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from 2015 to 2019. Content-expert reviewers screened for original research on outcomes of HLA-incompatible transplants (defined as allele or molecular mismatch and solid-phase or cell-based assays). We ascertained the completeness of reporting on a predefined set of variables assessing HLA incompatibility, therapies, and outcomes. Given significant heterogeneity, we conducted narrative synthesis and assessed risk of bias in studies examining the association between death-censored graft failure and HLA incompatibility. RESULTS Of 6656 screened articles, 163 evaluated transplant outcomes by HLA incompatibility. Most articles reported on cytotoxic/flow T-cell crossmatches (n = 98). Molecular genotypes were reported for selected loci at the allele-group level. Sixteen articles reported on epitope compatibility. Pretransplant donor-specific HLA antibodies were often considered (n = 143); yet there was heterogeneity in sample handling, assay procedure, and incomplete reporting on donor-specific HLA antibodies assignment. Induction (n = 129) and maintenance immunosuppression (n = 140) were frequently mentioned but less so rejection treatment (n = 72) and desensitization (n = 70). Studies assessing death-censored graft failure risk by HLA incompatibility were vulnerable to bias in the participant, predictor, and analysis domains. CONCLUSIONS Optimization of transplant outcomes and personalized care depends on accurate HLA compatibility assessment. Reporting on a standard set of variables will help assess generalizability of research, allow knowledge synthesis, and facilitate international collaboration in clinical trials.
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Lemieux W, Fleischer D, Yang AY, Niemann M, Oualkacha K, Klement W, Richard L, Polychronakos C, Liwski R, Claas F, Gebel HM, Keown PA, Lewin A, Sapir-Pichhadze R. Dissecting the impact of molecular T-cell HLA mismatches in kidney transplant failure: A retrospective cohort study. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1067075. [PMID: 36505483 PMCID: PMC9730505 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1067075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment in end-stage kidney disease, but de-novo donor specific antibody development continues to negatively impact patients undergoing kidney transplantation. One of the recent advances in solid organ transplantation has been the definition of molecular mismatching between donors and recipients' Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA). While not fully integrated in standard clinical care, cumulative molecular mismatch at the level of eplets (EMM) as well as the PIRCHE-II score have shown promise in predicting transplant outcomes. In this manuscript, we sought to study whether certain T-cell molecular mismatches (TcEMM) were highly predictive of death-censored graft failure (DCGF). Methods We studied a retrospective cohort of kidney donor:recipient pairs from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (2000-2015). Allele level HLA-A, B, C, DRB1 and DQB1 types were imputed from serologic types using the NMDP algorithm. TcEMMs were then estimated using the PIRCHE-II algorithm. Multivariable Accelerated Failure Time (AFT) models assessed the association between each TcEMM and DCGF. To discriminate between TcEMMs most predictive of DCGF, we fit multivariable Lasso penalized regression models. We identified co-expressed TcEMMs using weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Finally, we conducted sensitivity analyses to address PIRCHE and IMGT/HLA version updates. Results A total of 118,309 donor:recipient pairs meeting the eligibility criteria were studied. When applying the PIRCHE-II algorithm, we identified 1,935 distinct TcEMMs at the population level. A total of 218 of the observed TcEMM were independently associated with DCGF by AFT models. The Lasso penalized regression model with post selection inference identified a smaller subset of 86 TcEMMs (56 and 30 TcEMM derived from HLA Class I and II, respectively) to be highly predictive of DCGF. Of the observed TcEMM, 38.14% appeared as profiles of highly co-expressed TcEMMs. In addition, sensitivity analyses identified that the selected TcEMM were congruent across IMGT/HLA versions. Conclusion In this study, we identified subsets of TcEMMs highly predictive of DCGF and profiles of co-expressed mismatches. Experimental verification of these TcEMMs determining immune responses and how they may interact with EMM as predictors of transplant outcomes would justify their consideration in organ allocation schemes and for modifying immunosuppression regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Lemieux
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada,Medical Affairs & Innovation, Héma-Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - David Fleischer
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Archer Yi Yang
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Karim Oualkacha
- Department of Mathematics, Université du Québec à Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - William Klement
- Division of Organ Donation and Transplantation, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Lucie Richard
- Transfusion medicine/Reference Laboratory, Héma-Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Constantin Polychronakos
- Department of Pediatrics, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and the Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Robert Liwski
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Frans Claas
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Howard M. Gebel
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Paul A. Keown
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Antoine Lewin
- Medical Affairs & Innovation, Héma-Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada,Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada,Division of Nephrology and the Multi-Organ Transplant Program, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada,Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada,*Correspondence: Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze,
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Renuncio-García M, González-López E, Carreras E, Villa J, Romón-Alonso I, Roa-Bautista A, Gutiérrez-Larrañaga M, Comins-Boo A, Irure-Ventura J, López-Hoyos M, San Segundo D. Estimation of Antibody-Verified Eplet Mismatch Load, 2-Field HLA Resolution vs Imputation in a Large Cohort of European Donors. Transplant Proc 2022; 54:2414-2418. [DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2022.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Lim WH, Ho J, Kosmoliaptsis V, Sapir-Pichhadze R. Editorial: Future challenges and directions in determining allo-immunity in kidney transplantation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1013711. [PMID: 36119031 PMCID: PMC9473680 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1013711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Wai H. Lim
- Department of Renal Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- *Correspondence: Wai H. Lim,
| | - Julie Ho
- Department of Internal Medicine University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Transplant Manitoba Adult Kidney Program, Transplant Manitoba, Shared Health Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Vasilis Kosmoliaptsis
- Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge and National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Organ Donation and Transplantation, National Institute for Health Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Nephrology and Multi-Organ Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Combined Analysis of HLA Class II Eplet Mismatch and Tacrolimus Levels for the Prediction of De Novo Donor Specific Antibody Development in Kidney Transplant Recipients. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23137357. [PMID: 35806362 PMCID: PMC9267119 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated whether HLA class II eplet mismatch was related to dnDSA development and analyzed its combined impact with tacrolimus levels for kidney transplantation outcomes. A total of 347 kidney transplants were included. HLA Matchmaker was used for the single molecular eplet, total eplet, antibody (Ab)-verified eplet mismatch analyses, and Ab-verified single molecular analysis to identify HLA-DR/DQ molecular thresholds for the risk of dnDSA development. A time-weighted tacrolimus trough level (TAC-C0) of 5 ng/mL and a TAC-C0 time-weighted coefficient variability (TWCV) of 20% were applied to find the combined effects on dnDSA development. A high level of mismatch for single molecular eplet (DQ ≥ 10), total eplet (DQ ≥ 12), Ab-verified eplet (DQ ≥ 4), and Ab-verified single molecular eplet (DQ ≥ 4) significantly correlated with HLA class II dnDSA development. Class II dnDSA developed mostly in patients with low TAC-C0 and high eplet mismatch. In the multivariable analyses, low TAC-C0 and high eplet mismatch showed the highest hazard ratio for the development of dnDSA. No significant combined effect was observed in dnDSA development according to TWCV. In conclusion, the determination of HLA class II eplet mismatch may improve the risk stratification for dnDSA development, especially in conjunction with tacrolimus trough levels.
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Mangiola M, Ellison M, Marrari M, Bentlejewski C, Sadowski J, Zern D, Niemann M, Feingold B, Webber S, Zeevi A, Dipchand AI, Lamour JM, Mahle WT, Rossano JW, Scheel JN, Singh TP, Zuckerman WA. Immunologic Risk Stratification of Pediatric Heart Transplant Patients by Combining Hlamatchmaker and PIRCHE-II. J Heart Lung Transplant 2022; 41:952-960. [DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2022.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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Implementation of molecular matching in transplantation requires further characterization of both immunogenicity and antigenicity of individual HLA epitopes. Hum Immunol 2021; 83:256-263. [PMID: 34963506 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decade, high HLA epitope mismatch scores have been associated with inferior transplant outcomes using several tools, of which HLAMatchmaker is most well-known. This software uses theoretically defined polymorphic amino acid configurations, called eplets, for HLA compatibility analysis. Although consideration of eplet mismatch loads has potential for immunological risk stratification of transplant patients, the use of eplet matching in organ allocation algorithms is hindered by lacking knowledge of the immunogenicity of individual eplets, and the possibility that single mismatched amino acids, rather than complete eplets, are responsible for HLA antibody induction. There are several approaches to define eplet immunogenicity, such as antibody verification of individual eplets, and data-driven approaches using large datasets that correlate specific eplet mismatches to donor specific antibody formation or inferior transplant outcomes. Data-driven approaches can also be used to define whether single amino acid mismatches may be more informative than eplet mismatches for predicting HLA antibody induction. When using epitope knowledge for the assignment of unacceptable antigens, it important to realize that alleles sharing an eplet to which antibodies have formed are not automatically all unacceptable since multiple contact sites determine the binding strength and thus biological function and pathogenicity of an antibody, which may differ between reactive alleles. While the future looks bright for using HLA epitopes in clinical decision making, major steps need to be taken to make this a clinical reality.
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Zahran S, Bourdiec A, Zhang X, Sapir-Pichhadze R. Not all eplet mismatches are created equal - A cohort study illustrating implications to long-term graft outcomes. Hum Immunol 2021; 83:225-232. [PMID: 34844785 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2021.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
We assessed implications of various eplet-compatibility strategies to death-censored graft failure (DCGF), defined as return to dialysis or re-transplantation, in a base-case scenario from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. To inform personalized care, we evaluated how recipient, donor, and transplant characteristics affect DCGF by ascending categories of eplet mismatches (EMM), and derived adjusted hazard ratios (HR). The base-case analysis demonstrated 15-year estimated survival probabilities of 77.1%, 75.4%, 73.6%, 72.2%, 74.9%, and 73.5% for the lowest EMM categories (complete epitype: 0-19, antibody-verified (AbVer) epitype and class II eplets: 0-9, class II AbVer eplets: 0-4, 55 high-risk eplets associated with DCGF: 0-3, and subset of 15 high-risk eplets validated in an independent subcohort: 0 EMM, respectively). Beyond the lowest EMM categories, the Epi15 strategy allowed better differentiation of change in DCGF risk per EMM, with additional 5.2%, 3.9% and 4.1% decrease in estimated graft survival for each additional EMM (1, 2, and ≥ 3, respectively). Recipients < 25 years, donors > 55 years, and immunosuppression regimens excluding calcineurin inhibitors and steroids, demonstrated higher HR for DCGF. High-risk EMM allowed better differentiation between DCGF probabilities per EMM, suggesting that recipients at higher risk for graft failure could benefit most from allocation schemes ensuring compatibility on these eplets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somaya Zahran
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Amelie Bourdiec
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Xun Zhang
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada; Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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13
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Baxter-Lowe LA. The changing landscape of HLA typing: Understanding how and when HLA typing data can be used with confidence from bench to bedside. Hum Immunol 2021; 82:466-477. [PMID: 34030895 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2021.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes are extraordinary for their extreme diversity and widespread impact on human health and disease. More than 30,000 HLA alleles have been officially named and more alleles continue to be discovered at a rapid pace. HLA typing systems which have been developed to detect HLA diversity have advanced rapidly and are revolutionizing our understanding of HLA's clinical importance. However, continuous improvements in knowledge and technology have created challenges for clinicians and scientists. This review explains how differences in HLA typing systems can impact the HLA types that are assigned. The consequences of differences in laboratory testing methods and reference databases are described. The challenges of using HLA types that are not equivalent are illustrated. A fundamental understanding of the continual expansion of our understanding of HLA diversity and limitations in some of the typing data is essential for using typing data appropriately in clinical and research settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee Ann Baxter-Lowe
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Southern California, USA.
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On Path to Informing Hierarchy of Eplet Mismatches as Determinants of Kidney Transplant Loss. Kidney Int Rep 2021; 6:1567-1579. [PMID: 34169197 PMCID: PMC8207474 DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2021.03.877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction To mitigate risks related to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) incompatibility, we assessed whether certain structurally defined HLA targets present in donors but absent from recipients, known as eplet mismatches (EMM), are associated with death-censored graft failure (DCGF). Methods We studied a cohort of 118,313 American 0% panel reactive antibodies (PRA) first kidney transplant recipients (2000 to 2015) from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Imputed allele-level donor and recipient HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 genotypes were converted to the repertoire of EMM. We fit survival models for each EMM with significance thresholds corrected for false discovery rate and validated those in an independent PRA > 0% cohort. We conducted network-based analyses to model relationships among EMM and developed models to select the subset of EMM most predictive of DCGF. Results Of 412 EMM observed, 119 class I and 118 class II EMM were associated with DCGF. Network analysis showed that although 210 eplets formed profiles of 2 to 12 simultaneously occurring EMMs, 202 were singleton EMMs that were not involved in any profile. A variable selection procedure identified 55 single HLA class I and II EMMs in 70% of the dataset; of those, 15 EMMs (9 singleton and 6 involved in profiles) were predictive of DCGF in the remaining dataset. Conclusion Our analysis distinguished increasingly smaller subsets of EMMs associated with increased risk of DCGF. Validation of these EMMs as important predictors of transplant outcomes (in contrast to acceptable EMMs) in datasets with measured allele-level genotypes will support their role as immunodominant EMMs worthy of consideration in organ allocation schemes.
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Lemieux W, Mohammadhassanzadeh H, Klement W, Daniel C, Sapir-Pichhadze R. Matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match: Opportunities and challenges in optimizing compatibility of HLA eplets in transplantation. Int J Immunogenet 2021; 48:135-144. [PMID: 33426788 DOI: 10.1111/iji.12525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The development of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) is a major complication in transplantation, which is associated with inferior graft survival, impaired quality of life, and increased healthcare costs. DSA develop upon recognition of nonself HLA by the recipient's immune system. HLA molecules contain epitopes, which are the surface regions of HLA molecules recognized by antibodies. HLAMatchmaker is an algorithm for assessing donor:recipient HLA compatibility at the level of structurally defined HLA targets called eplets. The consideration of eplets, rather than the whole HLA molecule, could offer some advantages when classifying the immune risk associated with particular donor:recipient pairs. Assessing compatibility at the level of HLA eplets could decrease misclassification of post-transplant immune risk by improving specificity, when antibodies are confirmed to be directed against donor eplets missing from the recipient's repertoire of eplets. Consideration of eplets may also increase the sensitivity of immune risk assessment, when identifying mismatched eplets that could give rise to new, not previously detected, donor-specific antibodies post-transplant. Eplet matching can serve as a rational strategy for immune risk mitigation. Herein, we review the evolution of HLA (in) compatibility assessment for organ allocation. We outline challenges in the implementation of eplet-based donor:recipient matching, including unavailability of allele-level donor genotypes for 11 HLA loci at the time of organ allocation and difficulty in assessing the hierarchy of immune risk associated with particular HLA eplet mismatches. Opportunities to address some of the current shortcomings of donor genotyping and HLAMatchmaker are also discussed. While there is a demonstrated benefit in the application of HLAMatchmaker for donor: recipient HLA (in)compatibility assessment, evolving long-read genotyping methods, compilation of large data sets with allele-level genotypes, and standardization of methods to verify eplets as determinants of immune-mediated injuries are required before HLA eplet matching is implemented in organ allocation to improve upon transplant outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Lemieux
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Hossein Mohammadhassanzadeh
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - William Klement
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Claude Daniel
- Division of Hematology, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Division of Nephrology and the Multi-Organ Transplant Program, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
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16
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Engen RM, Jedraszko AM, Conciatori MA, Tambur AR. Substituting imputation of HLA antigens for high-resolution HLA typing: Evaluation of a multiethnic population and implications for clinical decision making in transplantation. Am J Transplant 2021; 21:344-352. [PMID: 32430947 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.16070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Molecular mismatch analysis for assessment of histocompatibility in transplantation requires high-resolution HLA typing. Algorithms to "guesstimate" high-resolution from low-resolution typing exist, but their accuracy remains unknown. We converted high-resolution, sequence-based, HLA typing of 310 subjects from an ethnically heterogeneous population to low-resolution equivalents and tested the ability of the NMDP HaploStats and HLA Matchmaker programs to impute/reproduce the measured high-resolution HLA type, using the more common "winner-takes-all" approach. Only 35.6% of the HaploStats imputed HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 haplotypes had no mistakes, and the accuracy was significantly lower for non-Caucasians (29.1%) compared to Caucasians (45.2%) (odds ratio [OR], 0.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3-0.8; P = .004). HLA Matchmaker was not able to provide high-resolution haplotypes for 45.2% of Caucasian subjects and 63.5% of non-Caucasian subjects (P = .002). Of those with an imputed result, only 10.3% of Caucasians and 4.8% of non-Caucasians had accurate 10-allele high-resolution output. Eplet analysis revealed additional, inaccurate eplets in 37% of individuals, with 22.5% showing at least 2 additional, inaccurate eplets; incorrect eplets were more common among non-Caucasians (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-2.9; P = .018). Given this high error rate, caution should be taken before using imputation tools for clinical or research purposes, especially for non-Caucasian individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Engen
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Aneta M Jedraszko
- Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael A Conciatori
- Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Anat R Tambur
- Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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17
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Senev A, Emonds M, Van Sandt V, Lerut E, Coemans M, Sprangers B, Kuypers D, Naesens M. Clinical importance of extended second field high-resolution HLA genotyping for kidney transplantation. Am J Transplant 2020; 20:3367-3378. [PMID: 32337773 PMCID: PMC7754319 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.15938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The need for extended second field high-resolution (2F-HR) HLA genotyping in kidney transplantation is debated. In a cohort of 1000 kidney transplants, we evaluated the impact of different HLA genotyping levels on the assignment of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) and investigated whether inference of 2F-HR genotypes from low-resolution (LR) genotypes could be used to correctly assign DSA. Based on LR genotypes, 224 pretransplant DSAs were present in 140 patients and absent in 860 patients (DSAneg group). With extended 2F-HR HLA genotyping, we confirmed 173 DSA (77.2%) in 108 (77.1%) patients (2F-HRpos LRpos DSA group) and excluded DSA in 32 patients (22.9%) (2F-HRneg LRpos DSA group). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that 10-year graft survival rates were similar between the DSAneg and 2F-HRneg LRpos DSA groups (82.4% vs 93.8%; P = .27) and confirmed that DSA determined using LR typing but not confirmed using 2F-HR typing were indeed misclassified. By inferring 2F-HR genotypes using HaploStats, DSA still could not be correctly assigned in 23.3% of cases. We conclude that extended 2F-HR typing of the donor-recipient pairs is relevant for the correct assessment of DSA. Although inference of 2F-HR genotypes may improve the assessment of DSA in some cases, significant misclassification occurs, and warrants caution in using inferred HLA results for clinical and research purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandar Senev
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics LaboratoryBelgian Red Cross‐FlandersMechelenBelgium,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Marie‐Paule Emonds
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics LaboratoryBelgian Red Cross‐FlandersMechelenBelgium,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Vicky Van Sandt
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics LaboratoryBelgian Red Cross‐FlandersMechelenBelgium
| | - Evelyne Lerut
- Department of Imaging & PathologyUniversity Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Maarten Coemans
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Ben Sprangers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium,Department of Nephrology and Renal TransplantationUniversity Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Dirk Kuypers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium,Department of Nephrology and Renal TransplantationUniversity Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Maarten Naesens
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium,Department of Nephrology and Renal TransplantationUniversity Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
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Zhang X, Kransdorf E, Levine R, Patel JK, Kobashigawa JA. HLA-DQ mismatches stimulate de novo donor specific antibodies in heart transplant recipients. Hum Immunol 2020; 81:330-336. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2020.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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19
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Sapir-Pichhadze R, Zhang X, Ferradji A, Madbouly A, Tinckam KJ, Gebel HM, Blum D, Marrari M, Kim SJ, Fingerson S, Bashyal P, Cardinal H, Foster BJ. Epitopes as characterized by antibody-verified eplet mismatches determine risk of kidney transplant loss. Kidney Int 2019; 97:778-785. [PMID: 32059998 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2019.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
To optimize strategies that mitigate the risk of graft loss associated with HLA incompatibility, we evaluated whether sequence defined HLA targets (eplets) that result in donor-specific antibodies are associated with transplant outcomes. To define this, we fit multivariable Cox proportional hazard models in a cohort of 118 382 United States first kidney transplant recipients to assess risk of death-censored graft failure by increments of ten antibody-verified eplet mismatches. To verify robustness of our findings, we conducted sensitivity analysis in this United States cohort and assessed the role of antibody-verified eplet mismatches as autonomous predictors of transplant glomerulopathy in an independent Canadian cohort. Antibody-verified eplet mismatches were found to be independent predictors of death-censored graft failure with hazard ratios of 1.231 [95% confidence interval 1.195, 1. 268], 1.268 [1.231, 1.305] and 1.411 [1.331, 1.495] for Class I (HLA-A, B, and C), -DRB1 and -DQB1 loci, respectively. To address linkage disequilibrium between HLA-DRB1 and -DQB1, we fit models in a subcohort without HLA-DQB1 eplet mismatches and found hazard ratios for death-censored graft failure of 1.384 [1.293, 1.480] for each additional antibody-verified HLA-DRB1 eplet mismatch. In a subcohort without HLA-DRB1 mismatches, the hazard ratio was 1.384 [1.072, 1.791] for each additional HLA-DQB1 mismatch. In the Canadian cohort, antibody-verified eplet mismatches were independent predictors of transplant glomerulopathy with hazard ratios of 5.511 [1.442, 21.080] for HLA-DRB1 and 3.640 [1.574, 8.416] for -DRB1/3/4/5. Thus, donor-recipient matching for specific HLA eplets appears to be a feasible and clinically justifiable strategy to mitigate risk of graft loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze
- Division of Nephrology, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; The Multi Organ Transplant Program, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Xun Zhang
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Abdelhakim Ferradji
- Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Abeer Madbouly
- Bioinformatics Research, Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kathryn J Tinckam
- Division of Nephrology, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; The Kidney Transplant Program, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Howard M Gebel
- Department of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Daniel Blum
- Division of Nephrology, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marilyn Marrari
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - S Joseph Kim
- Division of Nephrology, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; The Kidney Transplant Program, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephanie Fingerson
- Bioinformatics Research, Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Pradeep Bashyal
- Bioinformatics Research, Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Bethany J Foster
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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