Open AccessThe human leukocyte antigen system and transplantation immunology
Author(s) -
Svetlana Vojvodić
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
medicinski pregled
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1820-7383
pISSN - 0025-8105
DOI - 10.2298/mpns17s1035v
Subject(s) - antigen , histocompatibility , immunology , major histocompatibility complex , human leukocyte antigen , immune system , transplantation , allele , biology , pan t antigens , gene , genetics , medicine , antibody , monoclonal antibody , surgery
. The antigens primarily responsible for the rejection of genetically different tissues are known as histocompatibility (i.e. tissue compatibility) antigens and the genes coding for these antigens are referred to as histocompatibility genes. History. The groundwork for the new science of transplantation immunology was laid by Medawar in the 1940s who described the rejection of tissue transferred from one person or animal to another, except for grafts between identical twins. In the 1950s, it was shown that this tissue rejection was mediated by major histocompatibility complex group of antigens which cause a strong immune response and are in humans known as human leucocyte antigens. Polymorphism and inheritance of human leucocyte antigens. According to the most recent human leucocyte antigens nomenclature, there are currently 17,344 human leucocyte antigens and related alleles, of which 12,544 are I human leucocyte antigens class alleles, 4,622 are II human leucocyte antigens class alleles and 178 other non-human leucocyte antigens alleles. Due to close location at the short arm of the sixth chromosome, the genes of the human leucocyte antigens system are inherited as haplotypes or alleles pairs. Biological role. The primary role of the human leucocyte antigens molecule is to present a peptide to the T-cells which recognize both the human leucocyte antigens molecule and the presented peptide, distinguishing the own peptides from the foreign. The ability to allow an immune response which is directed against the ?foreign?, makes human leucocyte antigens antigens the main immunological barrier in the transplantation. Conclusion. The immunobiology of transplantation is important for many reasons: in terms of both its impact on our understanding of immunological processes and its application in the development of clinical transplantation. Advances in immunogenetics and histocompatibility have facilitated the clinical transplantation of solid organs and tissues.