Confirmation of Bg-HLA relationships by antiglobulin microcytotoxicity testing

Antiglobulin reagents have been reported to increase the sensitivity of lymphocytotoxicity procedures for the detection of HLA antibodies that may affect the survival of transplanted kidneys or cause nonhemolytic transfusion reactions. This paper describes how such a procedure may also be used to demonstrate the presence of specific HLA antibodies in sera containing anti-Bg antibodies but lacking HLA antibodies that can be detected by conventional procedures. With the use of more sensitive procedures for the detection of both anti-Bg and HLA antibodies, studies of the relationship between specific HLA and Bg antigens can be extended, and the genetics of the expression of the Bg antigens can more easily be studied.