[The development of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in HLA-D/DR identity]

The development of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes is controlled by genes of the HLA complex and occurs, in the majority of cases, when the responding and stimulating subjects differ both in HLA-A, -B and HLA-D/DR antigens. We examined a married couple for kidney transplantation and found that they differed in HLA-A, -B antigens and were identical in HLA-DR antigens. The negative results of the MLC test confirmed the serological findings. Nevertheless, cytotoxic T-lymphocytes developed despite HLA-D/DR identity. The presented case is one of the few published exceptions to the rule governing the development of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes.