Multipoint linkage analysis of spinocerebellar ataxia and markers on chromosome 6

Heterogeneity among the spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) has been shown on clinical, biochemical, and genetic criteria. Among the autosomal dominant SCAs, several kindreds have shown loose linkage to the HLA loci on chromosome 6, while linkage in other kindreds has been rejected. The advent of multipoint linkage analysis allows the use of several marker loci simultaneously, thus increasing the amount of usable information. We have reanalyzed linkage data from a large kindred with SCA and provide evidence for a telomeric location of the SCA gene in this family. Knowledge of the relative gene location will ease the identification of the SCA gene by reducing the size of the chromosomal regions that must be examined.     

Sensitisation to Swine Leukocyte Antigens in Patients with Broadly Reactive HLA Specific Antibodies

We have previously shown that IgG HLA specific antibodies in the sera of highly sensitised patients awaiting renal transplantation can cross-react with swine leukocyte antigens (SLA). In this study we determined the frequency of patient serum IgG HLA specific antibody binding to a porcine lymphocyte panel and the likelihood of locating a cross-match negative pig donor for sensitised patients. Serum samples (n = 82) were obtained from 35 sensitised [current IgG panel reactive antibodies (PRA) > 10%] and seven nonsensitised patients awaiting renal transplantation at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK. Fifty sera had IgG HLA specific PRA of 11-84%, 20 had IgG PRA of >84% and 12 had 0% PRA (negative controls). Sera were absorbed with porcine erythrocytes to remove xenoreactive natural antibodies and tested for cross-reactive IgG HLA specific antibody binding by flow cytometry against a panel of porcine lymphocytes obtained from 23 human decay accelerating factor (hDAF) transgenic pigs. A total of 1,884 cross-match combinations were tested and 369 (20%) gave a positive porcine lymphocyte cross-match. For sera from sensitised patients with IgG PRA (11-64%), only 6 of 805 (0.75%) cross-match tests were positive. In contrast, for sera from patients with high IgG PRA (>64%), 363 of 805 (45%) cross-match tests were positive (p < 0.0001). There was no difference in the frequency of positive cross-matches between patient sera with IgG PRA 65-84% and highly sensitised patient sera with IgG PRA 85-100% [156/345 (45%) vs. 207/460 (45%)]. This study demonstrates that only patient sera with broadly reactive IgG HLA specific PRA (>64%) cross-react with porcine lymphocytes. If future clinical trials of xenotransplantation are undertaken, it may be of value to select a cross-match-negative pig organ donor for such patients.     

HLA-DR7 predicts the response to alkylating agents in steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome

There is a lack of reliable predictors of the response to alkylating agents in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS). HLA-DR7 is strongly associated with the frequency of relapses in steroid-sensitive NS before cytostatic therapy. We therefore examined retrospectively the time to the first relapse and the incidence of subsequent relapses in 54 HLA-typed children with frequently relapsing NS, after treatment with cyclophosphamide (n = 49) or chlorambucil (n = 5) for 8 or 12 weeks; 38 patients were HLA-DR7 positive and 16 negative with 80% in both groups being steroid dependent. HLA typing was performed using serological or DNA typing methods. Renal biopsy showed minimal glomerular changes. A lower proportion of HLA-DR7 positive than negative patients remained in remission after 3 years (36% vs. 81%, P<0.02) and 5 years (36% vs. 72%, P<0.03). In the first 3 years after cytostatic therapy the mean number of prednisone-treated relapses was 1.3/patient per year in HLA-DR7-positive patients compared with 0.4 in negative patients (P<0.025). There was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of relapse-free patients with and without steroid dependency. The HLA status predicts the response of NS patients to alkylating agents better than the rate of previous relapses. Received September 19, 1995; received in revised form and accepted April 16, 1996     

Intravenous Gammaglobulin (IVIG): A Novel Approach to Improve Transplant Rates and Outcomes in Highly HLA-Sensitized Patients

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) products are derived from pooled human plasma and have been used for the treatment of primary immunodeficiency disorders for more than 24 years. Shortly after their introduction, IVIG products were also found to be effective in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Over the past 2 decades, the list of diseases where IVIG has a demonstrable beneficial effect has grown rapidly. These include Kawasaki disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, myasthenia gravis, dermatomyositis and demyelinating polyneuropathy. Recently, we have described a beneficial effect on the reduction of anti-HLA antibodies with subsequent improvement in transplantation of highly HLA-sensitized patients as well as a potent anti-inflammatory effect that is beneficial in the treatment of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). These advancements have enabled transplantation of patients previously considered untransplantable. These studies and relevant mechanism(s) of action will be discussed here.     

脂肪干细胞免疫学性状的初步实验观察

目的初步研究脂肪干细胞(Adiposederivedstemcells,ADSC)表面免疫分子的表达以及体外免疫调节功能,以期为组织工程提供同种异体种子细胞来源。方法体外培养人脂肪抽吸术中获取的脂肪干细胞,体外培养至第二代,流式细胞仪检测免疫分子HLA、HLA、B7-1、B7-2、CD40的表达。1×105个/孔ADSC细胞分别刺激单一异体淋巴细胞或混合双向淋巴细胞反应,观察淋巴细胞增殖情况。同时观察ADSC经IFN-γ作用后,免疫分子表达与淋巴细胞增殖的调节情况。结果ADSC表达HLA类分子,但未检测到HLA类分子阳性表达。B7-1(CD80)、B7-2(CD86)、CD28、CD40未见明显阳性表达。人IFN-γ刺激48h后,HLA类分子表达明显增高,HLAI表达未见明显增高。异体或经IFN-γ作用的ADSC均未能刺激异体淋巴细胞增殖。同样数量的ADSC可明显抑制双相混合淋巴细胞增殖,经IFN-γ作用后抑制作用未见明显减弱。结论ADSC具有一定的体外调节淋巴细胞反应的能力,有可能成为组织工程同种异体细胞来源。     

Extended HLA profile of an inbred isolate: The Schmiedeleut Hutterites of South Dakota

HLA-A, -B, -C, -DR, and -DQ typings of the Schmiedeleut Hutterites of South Dakota were collected as part of an ongoing genetic-epidemiologic study of HLA and fertility. A total of 1,082 individuals, including 852 married adults representative of the reproductive population of this isolate, were characterized for five-locus HLA haplotypes. HLA-A1, A2, A3, and A24 accounted for 75% of observed HLA-A alleles and HLA-B27, B35, B51, and B62 accounted for 55% of observed HLA-B alleles. S-leut Hutterites are derived from 68 or fewer ancestors. However, only 48 ancestral HLA haplotypes were observed and nine of these accounted for over 52% of the observed haplotypes. Measures of two-locus linkage disequilibrium derived from these haplotypes indicated that one-third to half of the observed HLA-A/B, B/DR, and A/DR allele combinations exhibited highly statistically significant linkage disequilibrium. Allele and haplotype frequencies did not differ between males and females. Recombination rates of 0.004% and 0.005% between HLA-A and -C and between HLA-B and -DR, respectively, were observed. This HLA profile points out a paucity of HLA alleles and haplotypes in this population and marked linkage disequilibrium among the HLA alleles that are present. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Extremely High Association Between Appearance of HLA Antibodies and Failure of Kidney Grafts in a Five-Year Longitudinal Study

Longitudinal studies were conducted over a five-year period for HLA antibodies on 493 sera tested from 54 kidney transplant patients. HLA single antigen beads were employed to establish donor specificity of the antibodies. Only 3 of 22 patients without antibodies rejected a graft in contrast to 17 out of 32 patients with posttransplant antibodies (p = 0.003). Using a serum creatinine value of 4.0 mg/dL as the cut-off for a failed graft, 4 of 22 patients without antibodies failed compared to 21 of 32 with antibodies (p = 0.0006). Among patients with donor-specific antibodies (DSA) 13 of 15 failed (p = 0.000004). Even among patients with non-donor specific antibodies (NDSA), 8 of 17 failed (p = 0.05). Among patients who could be identified as making de novo antibodies (since they developed antibodies while not having antibodies for more than six months after transplantation), 6 of 11 failed (p = 0.03). Sequential testing for HLA antibodies shows that antibodies appear prior to a rise in serum creatinine and subsequent graft failure. The very strong association between the production of HLA antibodies after transplantation and graft failure indicates the importance of monitoring for posttransplant HLA antibodies.     

人HLA半相合混合脐血在SCID小鼠移植的实验研究

目的：探讨不同供者来源脐血混合移植的可行性和植入特性。方法：分别将两份人HLA半相合混合脐血或单份脐血输入经亚致量照射后的严重联合免疫缺陷（SCID）小鼠，观察两组脐血在SCID小鼠体内的植入状况及多系造血重建特性。结果：混合脐血和单份脐血移植均可在受鼠体内植入，形成供－受混合嵌合体，并能重建多系造血，存活率和植入率无统计学意义（P＞0．05）。用多聚酶链反应－序列特异性寡核苷酸（PCR－SSO）探针检测人HLA－DQB1基因发现，HLA半相合混合脐血移植可有1份或2份脐血植入，其中造血祖细胞含量和体外克隆形成能力高者，更易于植入，造血重建特性与单一脐血移植比较无统计学意义。结论：HLA半相合人混合脐血可同时在SCID小鼠体内植入，形成来自供－受三者的多嵌合状态，并能重建造血及免疫功能。     

HLA与免疫性疾病的研究进展

近年来,分子生物学技术的发展及其在HLA研究中的应用,使HLA研究取得了极大的进展,人类主要组织相容性复合体即HLA复合体,已完成全部基因的测序工作,基因图发表于1999年10月底的Nature杂志。HLA研究推动了HLA与疾病关联的分子机理研究,这有助于了解遗传因素在疾病发病机制中的作用,而且对促进疾病发病机理、基因调控、诊断及防治等方面的研究起到了积极作用,也是一个揭示MHC功能及其免疫调节机制的极佳切入口。