What causes anti-HLA antibodies to develop?
Anti-HLA antibodies can be triggered by blood transfusion, multiple pregnancies and by transplantation. Lymphocytes present in transfused blood are the source of the immunization causing anti-HLA antibody development. Since a person can develop antibodies after a transfusion, it is important for a transplant candidate to submit a blood sample to the HLA laboratory approximately 14 days after each transfusion. The serum will be tested to determine whether anti-HLA antibodies have been produced. If anti-HLA antibodies were produced as a response to the transfusion, the HLA specificity can be defined and avoided in selection of a suitable organ donor.
