Cord Blood HLA Matching and Compatibility 3

Question 1

What are donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) and why are they clinically important in cord blood transplantation?

Accepted Answer

Pre-formed recipient antibodies against donor HLA antigens that can cause graft rejection

Answer

DSAs are pre-formed recipient antibodies directed against specific donor HLA antigens that can cause hyperacute rejection and primary graft failure.

Question 2

Which patient population is most likely to be sensitized and carry pre-formed HLA antibodies?

Accepted Answer

Patients with a history of prior transfusions, transplants, or pregnancies

Answer

Prior exposure to foreign HLA antigens through blood transfusions, previous transplants, or pregnancies sensitizes patients and can result in pre-formed HLA antibodies.

Question 3

What laboratory test is used to screen transplant recipients for pre-formed HLA antibodies?

Accepted Answer

Panel Reactive Antibody (PRA) testing

Answer

Panel Reactive Antibody (PRA) testing screens the recipient's serum against a panel of HLA antigens to detect and quantify pre-formed HLA antibodies.

Question 4

What does 'antigen-level' HLA matching mean in cord blood transplantation?

Accepted Answer

Matching based on serologically defined broad HLA groups at low resolution

Answer

Antigen-level (low-resolution) matching identifies broad HLA groups based on historical serological reactivity, as opposed to high-resolution allele-level DNA typing.

Question 5

Why does cord blood expand the transplant donor pool for patients with rare HLA types compared to adult unrelated donors?

Accepted Answer

Cord blood's tolerance for HLA mismatch makes it accessible when a matched adult donor cannot be found

Answer

Because cord blood tolerates greater HLA mismatch, patients with rare HLA types who cannot find a fully matched adult donor can often receive a cord blood transplant.

Cord Blood Practice Test

Cord Blood Practice Test

Cord Blood HLA Matching and Compatibility 3