Projects
Project for MICA Antigens and Transplant Rejection
Peter Stasny, Yizhou Zou
MICA/MICB antigens are polymorphic proteins expressed on the surface of endothelial cells that are known to induce antibodies in transplant recipients and have been found to be associated with graft-versus-host disease after stem cell transplantation. Recent studies suggest that antibodies against MICA antigens developing in kidney transplant recipients are mostly directed against the MICA antigens of the organ donor. An association of antibodies to MICA antigens with kidney transplant loss has been observed, but more work is needed to implicate antibodies to MICA, present after transplantation, in the process of transplant rejection.
Clinical Transplant Study.
We propose to study patients with kidney or heart transplants to correlate antibodies to MICA with acute or chronic rejection. Acute rejection to be documented by biopsy with staining for C4d and chronic rejection to be established by calculated GFR and/or angiographic studies. We would like to study patients before organ transplants and at 3 months, 6 months and 1 year after transplantation. Recipients and donors must be typed for HLA-A, B, C, DR and DQ at intermediate resolution. DNA from recipients and donors should be available for MICA typing by SBT, if MICA antibodies are found. Presence of antibodies against donor HLA should be determined with single antigen Luminex beads. Patients producing anti-donor MICA antibodies and no detectable anti-donor HLA antibodies would be especially important for this study. Forms for data collection to be provided.
MICA antibody testing.
Human antibodies against MICA have been characterized using various antibody assays. When results using different test kits were compared, discrepant results were frequently seen. We propose to perform an exchange of sera to attempt to improve MICA antibody identification. In this part of the project, we will provide participants 16 serum samples that will contain well characterized MICA allo-antibodies. Every three months, 4 samples of serum (50 µl) will be sent to the participants. Five weeks will be allowed for testing. The results of each exchange will be reported to the participating laboratories. The main goals of this part of the studies are to document the progress of MICA antibody identification; standardize MICA antibody specificities to attain international agreement; and identify antibody patterns and variants. To participate in the serum testing the cost for shipping and handling of sera will be $300. You may participate in the clinical study only, in the serum antibody study only or in both.
Contact:
Peter Stasny or Dr. Yizhou Zou
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Department of Internal Medicine
Dallas, TX 75390
USA
Email: Peter [dot] Stastny [at] UTSouthwestern [dot] edu or yizhou [dot] zou [at] utsouthwestern [dot] edu
Download a PDF of the ASHI 2010 Presentation - download PDF file.
Download a PDF of the EFI 2011 Presentation - download PDF file.
Download a PDF of the ASHI 2011 Presentation - download PDF file.
