Impact of HLA evolutionary divergence and donor-recipient molecular mismatches on antibody-mediated rejection of kidney allografts

Abstract Several in-silico methods emerge to assess HLA immunogenicity and stratify immunological risk, including HLA molecular mismatches and HLA evolutionary divergence (HED). However, their added value in risk-stratifying antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) remains uncertain. We include 5159 kidney...

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Main Authors: Zeynep Demir, Marc Raynaud, Gillian Divard, Kevin Louis, Agathe Truchot, Matthias Niemann, Renata Ponsirenas, Olivier Aubert, Arnaud Del Bello, Alexandre Hertig, Dany Anglicheau, Bethany Dale, Nassim Kamar, Massimo Mangiola, Adriana Zeevi, Carmen Lefaucheur, Alexandre Loupy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60485-y
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Summary:Abstract Several in-silico methods emerge to assess HLA immunogenicity and stratify immunological risk, including HLA molecular mismatches and HLA evolutionary divergence (HED). However, their added value in risk-stratifying antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) remains uncertain. We include 5159 kidney transplant recipients from four centers. Thirty-three clinical and immunological parameters are assessed, including HLA eplet mismatches, PIRCHE-II scores, and HED. Their associations with AMR are evaluated using Cox models. AMR occurrs in 1024 patients (19.9%). Immunological determinants of AMR include anti-HLA DSA (MFI:500-1400, HR:1.87; MFI > 1400, HR:3.84, p < 0.001) and HLA Class II eplet mismatches (HR:1.02, p < 0.001). HLA-DQB1-derived (HR:1.01, p = 0.005) and HLA-DRB1-derived PIRCHE-II scores (HR:1.01, p = 0.001) are also associated with AMR, while HED is not. These findings remain consistent across centers and subpopulations, including non-sensitized patients (n = 4137). Our findings show that Class II molecular mismatches are independently associated with AMR. HED shows no association, suggesting limited utility for immune-risk stratification at a population level. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT06436586.
ISSN:2041-1723