HLA typing in transplantation is used to...

• A. Determine infectious status of the donor
• B. Assess donor-recipient compatibility to reduce risk of graft rejection
• C. Identify non-HLA genetic risks
• D. Predict response to immunosuppressive therapy

Answer: (B)

HLA typing in transplantation is used to assess donor-recipient compatibility to reduce the risk of graft rejection. The HLA system includes proteins on cells that are major targets of the recipient’s immune response; when there are mismatches between donor and recipient HLA antigens, the immune system is more likely to recognize the graft as foreign and mount rejection. By comparing HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-DR (and sometimes other loci like HLA-C and HLA-DQ), clinicians aim to minimize mismatches and improve graft survival. This typing is central to both solid organ and bone marrow transplant planning, often used in conjunction with crossmatching and antibody screening to refine compatibility. Infectious status is determined through infectious-disease screening of the donor, non-HLA genetic risks aren’t the primary focus of HLA typing, and predicting response to immunosuppressive therapy isn’t determined by HLA typing alone.