METHOD FOR INCREASING CELL SUSCEPTIBILITY TO COMPLEMENT-MEDIATED LYSIS

摘要

A method is provided for increasing the sensitivity of the complement-dependent cellular cytoxicity analysis that establishes whether a potential transplant recipient patient expresses donor organ-reactive antibodies that would reduce or prevent acceptance of the donor organ by a recipient. At least one gene encoding a complement inhibitor is inactivated in cells derived from a candidate transplant organ. Such modified cells, because they no longer produce at least one complement inhibitor, when placed in a serum sample from a potential transplant recipient, do not reduce the effective activity of serum complement. A lower level of recipient patient serum antibodies becomes effective in inducing detectable lysis of the donor cells.