Open AccessDo noninherited maternal antigens (NIMA) enhance renal graft survival?
Author(s) -
Smits Jacqueline M. A.,
Claas Frans H.J.,
Houwelingen Hans C.,
Persijn Guido G.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
transplant international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.998
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1432-2277
pISSN - 0934-0874
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-2277.1998.tb00781.x
Subject(s) - medicine , human leukocyte antigen , antigen , immunology , renal transplant , transplantation
To test the hypothesis that noninherited maternal antigens (NIMA) can modulate the alloreactivity of infant cells and provide protection for renal transplant recipients, a study of renal transplantations performed between 1980 and 1991 was undertaken. The survival rate of grafts with a mismatched antigen identical to the NIMA was compared to that of grafts in which the mismatched antigen was not identical to the NIMA. In the case of HLA‐A mismatches, graft survival rates were significantly better for NIMA‐mismatched transplants: 94% and 83% at 1 and 3 years, respectively, for single NIMA HLA‐A mismatched trans plants, and 83 % and 67 % when both HLA‐A antigens were mismatched, compared to 76 % and 68% (one non‐NIMA HLA‐A mismatch) and 67% and 45% (two non‐NIMA HLA‐A mismatches). Our results suggest that some class 1 NIMA‐mismatched antigens are not harmful to renal transplant recipients.