HLA-C, KIR Genotypes and KIR Genotype/HLA –C Ligand Combination in Prediction of Early Acute Rejection After Liver Transplantation

K. Park,¹ J. Ryu,¹ H. Park,³ Y. Kim,² E.-J. Oh.²

¹Biomedical Science, Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
²Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, the Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
³Medical Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Meeting: 2015 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: B247

Keywords: Histocompatibility, Liver transplantation, Rejection

Session Information

Session Name: Poster Session B: Translational Genetics and Proteomics in Transplantation

Session Type: Poster Session

Date: Sunday, May 3, 2015

Session Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm

Presentation Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm

Location: Exhibit Hall E

Introduction; Interaction of killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and human leukocyte antigen class-I (HLA-I) regulates NK cytotoxicity and function. NK regulation influences on NK/T cell alloreactivity in transplantation, and HLA mismatch allows the prediction of transplant rejection. But, the clinical impact of KIR/HLA-C ligand combination between recipient and donor on early acute rejection (EAR) is unclear and a controversial topic in liver transplantation (LT).

Methods; In 99 living donor liver transplant patients including 8 patients with biopsy-proven EAR, KIR genotypes in recipients and HLA-C genotypes in recipients and donors were tested by sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOP) methods. The KIR genotypes, HLA-C mismatch (MM) and KIR/HLA-C combination were analyzed in association with EAR and MELDscore (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease).

Results; The frequencies of KIR genotypes in 99 Korean patients were similar with previous studies as KIR2DL1, 2DL2, 2DL5, 2DS1 and 2DS4 were100%, 15.2%, 35.4%, 35.4% and 93.9%, respectively. HLA-C genotypes of recipients were as follows C1/C1, n=60; C1/C2, n=26; C2/C2, n=1; C1/-, n=11; C2/-, n=1. The frequency of KIR genotypes (KIR2DL1;100%, 2DL2;25%,2DL5;37.5%, 2DS1;37.5%, 2DS4;87.5%) and HLA-C genotypes (C1/C1; n=4, C1/C2; n=2, C2/C2; n=1, C1/-; n=2) in 8 EAR patients were not different from those of patients wihout EAR. In terms of HLA–C MM, of 99 patients (MM 0; n=21, MM 1; n=57, MM 2; n=21), 8 EAR patients showed MM 0 (n=2), MM 1 (n=5) and MM2 (n=1) and there was no significant difference of EAR (P>0.05). The previous report showed that recipient's KIR (KIR2DL3 and KIR2DS1) enhanced EAR in the presence of donor C2. However, in this study, only one patients had donor C2 type and did not show EAR. MELD score was also not related with KIR and HLA-C status in LT patients (p>0.05).

Conclusions; This study shows a KIR/HLA-C genotype status in Korean LT patients. We could not confirm the impact of KIR/HLA-C genotypes on early outcome of LT, possibly due to the ethinic variation in HLA-C genotype frequencies. Further studies with long term follow-up will be needed to demonstrate the role of KIR/HLA status in LT.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Park K, Ryu J, Park H, Kim Y, Oh E-J. HLA-C, KIR Genotypes and KIR Genotype/HLA –C Ligand Combination in Prediction of Early Acute Rejection After Liver Transplantation [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2015; 15 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/hla-c-kir-genotypes-and-kir-genotypehla-c-ligand-combination-in-prediction-of-early-acute-rejection-after-liver-transplantation/. Accessed May 19, 2025.

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