Long-Term Persisting Donor-Derived Human Leukocyte Antigen Antibody as a Possible Passenger Lymphocyte Syndrome Following Lung Transplantation: A Case Report

Transplant Proc. 2022 Sep;54(7):1913-1917. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2022.05.031. Epub 2022 Sep 11.

Abstract

Herein, we reported the transfer of donor-derived antihuman leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies in 2 recipients after lung transplantation. Case 1: A 39-year-old woman with pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis underwent a single brain-dead donor lung transplantation. Antibody screening 36 days after transplantation demonstrated high levels of de novo nondonor HLA class I-specific antibodies. The antibody screening in the donor serum revealed that the donor demonstrated a largely overlapping antibody profile. Importantly, the donor serum also included high-level HLA-specific antibodies against the recipient HLA-specific antigens, which were not detected in the recipient sera after transplantation. Donor-derived anti-HLA antibodies were still detected in the recipient 39 months after transplantation, without causing any complications such as graft-vs-host disease. Case 2: A 47-year-old woman underwent living-donor lobar lung transplantation for pulmonary complications after bone marrow transplantation with a right lower lobe from her husband and the left lower lobe from her sister. On postoperative day 39, the recipient's anti-HLA-class I antibody profile was found to be similar to that of the highly sensitized left lung donor. These donor-derived anti-HLA antibodies remained to be produced in the recipient 66 months after transplantation, without the development of complications.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies
  • Female
  • Graft Rejection
  • HLA Antigens*
  • Histocompatibility Testing
  • Humans
  • Living Donors
  • Lung Transplantation* / adverse effects
  • Lymphocytes
  • Middle Aged
  • Syndrome

Substances

  • HLA Antigens
  • Antibodies