COMPARISON OF HLA CLASS I ANIIGEN BY SEROLOGY AND PCR- SSP TYPING

Objeetive A dcuble blind study was canied cut to evaluate the relative performance and reliability of PCR-SSP assay compared to standard serollgical typing in identifying HLA class I alleles in Chinses population, Methods A total of 525 consecutive samples were entered into the study-HLA-A and B antigens were typed by serology with two - stage microlympbocytotoxicity and by PCR arnplification with sequence - specific primers, Reliability, reproducibility and clinical practicability wine compared acocrding to typing results by both methods. Results All sarnples were successfully typed by both methods THe serological discrepancy far HLA - A was 8.95 %, consisting of 21 antigens being iocorrectly interpreced and 26 of serologic blankx tuming out to be second definable alleles by SSP typing, Misassignments of HLA-B by serology were 12.19%. In 4.8% (25/525)a serologic blank tumed out to be a definable allele by SSP, while in 7,4 % (39/525) an allele was incorrectly interpreted by serology. The results of this study study showed that PCR- SSP technique could proved ta be equivalent to or surpass deal serology, suitable for routine clinical typing of patients and donors for transplantation. Conclusion PCR-SSP typing for HLA-A and B araigens could offer the advantages 4 hettre reagent availability and greater precision than setology in Chinese population, It is necessary to adopt the DNA typing for HLA class I in whcm serology often fails with“blank”,“difficult, or cross-reactive antigens.