What is HLA typing?
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing is a process used to match patients with donors who can supply necessary organs. HLA are proteins that can be found in almost every cell of your body, and are used by your immune system to identify which cells should be inside your body and which should not.
At the Rogosin Institute, our world-class Immunogenetics and Transplantation Laboratory (IGT) continually elevates techniques in HLA typing to prevent transplant rejection and improve success rates.
What does HLA typing involve?
HLA typing is performed on a sample of the person’s blood and tests the proteins. If you are awaiting a donor kidney due to end stage renal disease, you may need to undergo HLA typing in order to help find a match. At the Rogosin Institute in New York City, our HLA experts will walk you through the entire process from start to finish so you’ll know exactly what you can expect.
In general, you can expect to have your initial testing, which may take a couple weeks to process. Once we have determined your HLA type, we will be able to compare it with potential donors. Any time a potential donor completes the HLA typing, the results will be processed over a couple weeks and you will be contacted when a match is found.
What can the Rogosin’s IGT HLA typing laboratory provide?
The IGT laboratory uses a DNA-based molecular technology to type for HLA using polymerase chain reaction sequence specific oligonucleotide probes (PCR-SSOP) and polymerase chain reaction sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP). The platform for SSOP based HLA typing utilizes the latest xMAP technology from Luminex©.
At the Rogosin Institute, our IGT laboratory routinely determines HLA typing for the following:
- HLA-A
- HLA-B
- HLA-CW
- HLA-DRB1,3,4,5
- DQB1
HLA typing for HLA-DQA1, HLA-DPB1 or high-resolution allele-level HLA typing is available by request.
Antibody Screening
Identification of anti-HLA antibodies against the donor is a critical component of compatibility testing. In addition, post-transplant monitoring for HLA antibody aids in the diagnosis of antibody-mediated rejection. The IGT laboratory performs HLA antibody detection screens and HLA antibody specificity determinations on the solid-phase xMap technology. The immunoassay detects IgG Class HLA antibody at very low levels and is considered the best method for defining HLA antibody specificity.
Hours of Operation/Information/Contact
The Rogosin Institute’s Immunogenetics and Transplantation Laboratory provides the highest quality testing for transplantation using state of the art technology. A highly professional staff is dedicated to the service of clinicians and their patients. The IGT laboratory is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM – 10:00 PM. IGT on-call staff is available for emergency testing 24 hours a day, seven days a week (24/7).
For additional information regarding our services please call (212) 772-6700 or (646) 317-0277.
