Paul I. Terasaki Foundation Laboratory

Paul Terasaki, Mikki Ozawa. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The 13th and 14th International Workshop Antibody and Chronic Rejection Projects were both very successful, thanks to over 70 worldwide transplant centers who collaborated in the study. Two papers were published from the 13th Workshop study; 1) Am J Transpl 2004; 4:438-443 and 2) Transplantation 2005; 80:1194-1197. Both papers prospectively showed a strong correlation between post-transplant HLA antibodies and chronic rejection. The third paper, recently submitted for publication, included both the 13th and 14th. A very impressive result was obtained 4 years after a single testing for HLA and MICA antibodies. This paper has been submitted for publication, with two of the figures below.

15th International Workshop September 2008 in Buzios, Brazil.

1. Survey of post transplant antibodies in kidney, liver, lung, and heart transplants and analysis of outcome. This time we would like to also include testing for donor-specificities and will supply Single Antigen Beads to test patients who tested positive in the initial antibody screening.

Brief protocol:

1. Save sera from routine follow-up tests of patients who are seen at clinic and are more than 6 months post-transplant.

2. Kidney and other organs, such as liver, lung, heart, bone marrow, and stem cells will be included.

3. Register patients into Patient Data Forms to be provided.

4. We will supply free antibody screening reagents.

5. Will also supply Single Antigen beads for patients who test positive in the screening.

6. One year later, we will ask for follow-up clinical data.

7. Summary to be presented at the Brazil Workshop.

2. Antibody reduction study. Now that we know post transplant antibodies are deleterious, attempts will be made to see if by simple common drug manipulations, it would be possible to reduce antibodies. Change to MMF, increase in dosage of MMF, etc will be considered.

Please let us know if you are interested in either or both studies. We will send you further information and justifications you may need to get approvals.

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