Human Leukocyte Antigen – a specialized

branch or division of immunology for human

histocompatibility testing.
History
Patients who have been previously transfused
have alloantibodies
Alloantibodies were directed against
alloantigens not present in recipient
MAC – initials of the three volunteers
Implicated in FNHTR
Advent of HLA typing
Genetics was elucidated – HLA antigens were
coded by two closely linked loci, each coding
for multiple number of alleles
Nomenclatur
e & Genetics

Chromosome 6
Nomenclatur
e & Genetics

Haplotype from each parent

Nomenclature & Genetics
Polymorphic
HLA genetic region
Determines major histocompatibility factors
 Recognition and elimination of foreign tissues
Also known as the MHC region
35 to 40 genes physically grouped in three
regions located on the short arm of
chromosome 6
Related genes: Glyoxalase-1 (GLO) and
phosphoglucomutase-3 (PGM-3) are also linked
Nomenclature & Genetics
Class I region gene – classic transplantation
molecules
HLA-A
HLA-B
HLA-C
HLA-E, HLA-F and HLA-G (non-classic)
Nomenclature & Genetics
Class II region gene
HLA-DR
HLA-DP
HLA-DQ
Class III region
C2 and C4, Bf (complement factors)
21-hydroxylase
Tumor necrosis factor
Detection
Molecular techniques
Serologic techniques
Significance
SELF vs NON-SELF
Pre-transfusion and transplantation
Platelet refractory therapy and random
platelet donors
Disease correlation
Paternity testing
Anthropologic studies
Significance
Upon transfusion of
blood to someone who is
not genetically identical
(different HLA types):
Transfused lymphocytes
mount an immune
response
Recipient with normal
immune system
counterattacks
Significance
Upon transfusion of
lymphocytes with
similar HLA:
Transfused
lymphocytes sees
similarity & doesn’t
attack
Recipient sees
difference in HLA &
clears away foreign
cells
Significance
Upon transfusion of
lymphocytes with
similar HLA:
Transfused
lymphocytes sees
difference & attacks
Recipient sees
similarity in HLA &
does not respond
EVEN IF HOST IS IM-
COMPETENT