Charting improvements in US registry HLA typing ambiguity using a typing resolution score

Area of Science:

• Immunogenetics
• Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Background:

• Unrelated bone marrow donor registries collect Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) typing data.
• Donor selection for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation relies on matching HLA alleles between donors and patients.
• Advancements in HLA typing technologies have led to varied typing ambiguities in registries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel Typing Resolution Score (TRS) for systematic comparison of HLA typings.
• To evaluate the improvement of HLA typing resolution over time within a major registry.
• To provide a tool for objective evaluation of HLA typing methods and standards.

Main Methods:

• Developed a Typing Resolution Score (TRS) based on the likelihood of self-match.
• Applied TRS to analyze HLA typing data from the Be The Match Registry.
• Utilized historical and current high-resolution typing data, including next-generation sequencing.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the TRS's ability to systematically compare HLA typings across different methods and datasets.
• Charted the improvement in HLA typing resolution within the Be The Match Registry.
• Developed a publicly available online tool for HLA typing evaluation.

Conclusions:

• The TRS objectively evaluates HLA typing methods, facilitating comparisons across diverse technologies and populations.
• The TRS can aid in establishing standards for acceptable recruitment HLA typing.
• The developed online tool supports the evaluation of any given HLA typing for improved accuracy in donor selection.