| abstract |
In human-to-human transplants, the serum of an organ recipient is tested against a wide range of HLA alleles (human leukocyte antigens). The current clinical assay practically performs a virtual cross-match that allows for the prior elimination of incompatible donor organs, but the current assay exhibits fragments of HLA polypeptides that are not normally visible to the antibodies. As a result, the assay produces false positives. In addition, the current clinical assay is optimized for a human-to-human transplant, not for a pig-to-human transplant. Some HLA antibodies also bind to porcine leukocyte antigens (ALS). Instead of using beads to present antigens, the compositions and methods of the invention allow for cell presentation of potential antigens. The present invention relates to a modified human C1 R cell line having a significantly reduced antigenicity to human sera. Multiple cell lines, each expressing a different SLA, have been created. The modified C1 R line may express HLAs or other potential antigens of interest. The invention further relates to HEK293T cells modified for antigen presentation. |