Natural Killer (NK) Cell Alloreactivity in Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation.

This paper conducts a literature review on the role of natural killer cells in haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Theoretical concepts related to genes are introduced regarding their structure, nomenclature, genetic organization, polymorphism, and inheritance pattern, types of KIR proteins and receptors, HLA ligands for KIR receptors, and the definition of different NK alloreactivity prediction models for the donor of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and the recipient. These models include the following and consider incompatibility: ligand-ligand, receptor-ligand, gene-gene, and KIR haplotype models or the donor group.

Frequency and Distribution of KIR Genotypes of Donors-Recipient Pairs in the Haploidentical Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Setting: Collaborative Study by the Spanish Working Group in Histocompatibility and Transplant Immunology (GETHIT) and the Spanish Haematopoietic Transplantation and Cell Therapy Group (GETH-TC).

There is limited information regarding the influence of KIR genotype, compared to the HLA system, in haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT). This study aimed to determine the frequencies of KIR genotypes in Spanish haematologic patients undergoing haplo-HSCT. A study was conducted on 113 oncohaematological patients and their donors, treated across five centres that are members of the Spanish Working Group in Histocompatibility and Transplant Immunology (GETHIT) and the Spanish Haematopoietic Transplantation and Cell Therapy Group (GETH-TC).

RNA and protein expression analysis of HLA-DQB1*03:01:01:21Q allele: A null allele renamed as HLA-DQB1*03:01:01:21N.

The characterization of the expression profile of HLA questionable alleles (Q) is clinically relevant in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSTC) because an aberrant expression of these alleles could lead to transplantation-related complications. HLA-DQB1*03:01:01:21Q shows a substitution at the donor splice site of intron 3 that potentially could affect the expression of this allele. In order to determine their expression profile at RNA and protein level, we analyzed the presence of the HLA-DQ7 molecule by complement-dependent cytotoxicity test (CDC) and flow cytometry, and their RNA processing by cDNA analyses and sequencing by Sanger methods.

Evaluation of the Spanish population coverage of a prospective HLA haplobank of induced pluripotent stem cells.

Background: iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cells) banks of iPSC lines with homozygous HLA (human leukocyte antigen) haplotypes (haplobanks) are proposed as an affordable and off-the-shelf approach to allogeneic transplantation of iPSC derived cell therapies. Cord blood banks offer an extensive source of HLA-typed cells suitable for reprogramming to iPSC. Several initiatives worldwide have been undertaken to create national and international iPSC haplobanks that match a significant part of a population.

Sequencing of the new HLA class I alleles, HLA-A*68:02:01:14, -B*35:510, and -C*07:907.

Three new HLA class I alleles were characterized by next generation sequencing.

New method for overcoming the interference produced by anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies in compatibility testing.

Background: Plasma of patients taking anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) leads to panagglutination in the indirect antiglobulin test (IAT), that can mask clinically significant alloantibodies. Dithiothreitol (DTT) treatment of test RBCs is the more widespread method for avoiding this interference. Current DTT 0.

Identification of three new HLA alleles in the Spanish population: HLA-C*05:203, C*15:10:04 and DRB1*01:99.

Three new HLA alleles, HLA-C*05:203, -C*15:10:04 and DRB1*01:99, were characterized in the Spanish population.

The new HLA-C*05:199 was generated by intralocus recombination involving C*05:01:01:01 and C*16:01:01:01 alleles.

The new HLA allele HLA-C*05:199 was detected and characterized in a Spanish family.

Detection of hepatitis B virus in bone allografts from donors with occult hepatitis B infection.

The implementation of nucleic acid testing in donor screening has improved the safety of tissue allografts. Although infectious disease transmission can be considered a rare event, the detection of occult hepatitis B infection remains challenging. The studies concerning this risk are mainly based on testing blood specimens.

Transmission of human immunodeficiency virus Type-1 by fresh-frozen plasma treated with methylene blue and light.

Background: The risk of transfusion-transmitted infection (TTI) has been minimized by introduction of nucleic acid testing (NAT) and pathogen inactivation (PI). This case report describes transmission of human immunodeficiency virus Type 1 (HIV-1) to two recipients despite these measures.

Study Design And Methods: In March 2009 a possible TTI of HIV-1 was identified in a patient that had received pooled buffy coat platelet concentrate (BC-PLT) in November 2005.