Antibody verification of HLA class I and class II eplets by human monoclonal HLA antibodies

Abstract

In solid organ transplantation, formation of de novo donor‐specific HLA antibodies is induced by mismatched eplets on donor HLA molecules. While several studies have shown a strong correlation between the number of eplet mismatches and inferior outcomes, not every eplet mismatch is immunogenic. Eplets are theoretically defined entities, necessitating formal proof that they can be recognised and bound by antibodies. This antibody verification is pivotal to ensure that clinically relevant eplets are considered in studies on molecular matching. Recombinant human HLA‐specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated from HLA‐reactive B cell clones isolated from HLA immunised individuals using recombinant HLA molecules. Subsequently, the reactivity patterns of the mAbs obtained from single antigen bead assay were analysed using HLA‐EMMA software to identify single or configurations of solvent accessible amino acids uniquely present on the reactive HLA alleles and were mapped to eplets. Two HLA class I and seven HLA class II‐specific human mAbs were generated from four individuals. Extensive mAb reactivity analysis, led to antibody verification of three HLA‐DR‐specific eplets, and conversion of five eplets (one HLA‐A, one HLA‐B, two HLA‐DR, and one HLA‐DP), from provisionally verified to truly antibody‐verified. Finally, one HLA‐DQ‐specific eplet was upgraded from level A2 to level A1 verification evidence. The generation of recombinant human HLA‐specific mAbs with different specificities contributes significantly to the antibody verification of eplets and therefore is instrumental for implementation of eplet matching in the clinical setting.