Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2025
Trans-vivo Delayed Type Hypersensitivity Assay for Antigen Specific Regulation
Published on: May 2, 2013
The Interplay Between Human Leukocyte Antigen Antibody Profile and COVID-19 Vaccination in Waitlisted Renal
Yayuan Zhao1, Pramath Kakodkar1, Henry Pan1
1From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada(Zhao, Kakodkar, Pan, Zhu, Dokouhaki, Wu, Mostafa).
Context.—:
Mass COVID-19 vaccination is mandated in vulnerable populations in our renal transplant waitlist cohort. However, the anti-human leukocyte antigen (anti-HLA) profile after COVID-19 vaccination is controversial, and the side effects are yet to be discerned.
Objective.—:
To evaluate the status of HLA antibodies in waitlisted renal transplant patients before and 3 weeks after each vaccination and if comorbidities are associated with the HLA antibody profile.
Design.—:
A total of 59 waitlisted kidney transplant patients were included in this study. The anti-HLA antibodies were analyzed before and 6 months after their last COVID-19 vaccination. The mean fluorescence intensity change in the anti-HLA antibody levels was used to classify patients into 3 groups: high inducers, low inducers, and noninducers.
Results.—:
There were significant HLA antibody profile changes after COVID-19 vaccination, showing 21 antibodies generated against HLA class I antigens and 7 against HLA class II antigens to their baseline. Compared with the noninducers, the high and low inducers showed a higher prevalence of COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 vaccine type, and background hypertension history.
Conclusions.—:
Our data suggest that COVID-19 vaccination propagates anti-HLA class I and II antibodies for waitlisted renal transplant patients. The clinical significance of these antibodies needs further study. Furthermore, comorbidities, such as history of COVID-19 infection and hypertension, supplemented this effect. Anti-HLA antibody monitoring may be warranted in COVID-19 vaccinated, waitlisted renal transplant patients with a history of COVID-19 infection and/or hypertension.
