Early detection of recipient's immune response against heart transplant

摘要

A novel noninvasive immunological method for early detection of immune reactivity, primarily antibody reactivity, in heart transplant recipients prior to tissue damage or rejection is disclosed. The method utilizes donor tissue obtained before transplant and processed to obtain an antigen preparation comprising homogenized, fragmented donor cardiac tissue, including the posterior wall of the right atrium and the joining portion of the vena cava. This donor tissue is normally discarded before transplant. The methods include ELISA or light emitting immunoassays for measuring antibody binding. These methods are also applicable to allografts of other organs such as kidney. Such early detection of these immune responses enables a treating physician to modify the immunosuppressive treatment in order to prevent episodes of immune rejection and thus, to prevent damage of the transplanted organ.