Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
Conversion of a Capture ELISA to a Luminex xMAP Assay using a Multiplex Antibody Screening Method
Published on: July 6, 2012
Luminex-based virtual crossmatching for renal transplantation in South Africa
Catherine M Worsley1, Elizabeth S Mayne, Melinda S Suchard
1Department of Haematology and Molecular Medicine, University of Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Services, Johannesburg. catherine.worsley@nhls.ac.za
Background:
Current practice in the Johannesburg renal transplantation programme is to perform a transplant when the patient's complement-dependent cytotoxicity and flow cytometric crossmatches are negative. However, even in patients with negative crossmatches early graft rejections have occurred. We retrospectively evaluated the use of Luminex anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody detection technology, often termed 'virtual crossmatching', compared with the flow cytometric crossmatch, for predicting graft outcome in renal transplant patients.
Methods:
Sixty-four recipients were crossmatched against multiple donors during their routine work-up for transplant (111 crossmatches); 17 of these patients received transplants during the study period. Anti-HLA antibody detection was performed using Luminex technology and the results were compared with the flow cytometric crossmatch results and with short-term graft success.
Results:
Compared with flow cytometric crossmatch results, the sensitivity and specificity of Luminex virtual crossmatching was 85.7% and 90.7% for the T-cell crossmatch and 100% and 87.2% for the B-cell crossmatch. Both the sensitivity and specificity of Luminex for predicting short-term graft success were 100%.
Conclusions:
Strong evidence is provided that single-antigen assays provide improved sensitivity to detect clinically relevant anti-HLA antibodies and can reliably be used to predict short-term graft success. We recommend incorporation of single-antigen Luminex methodology into the routine work-up algorithm of renal transplant recipients in South Africa.
