A comparison of DNA-RFLP typing with serology and mixed lymphocyte reaction in the selection of matched unrelated bone marrow donors.

Eleven leukaemic patients and 43 potential unrelated marrow donors were typed serologically, tested in mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and typed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. RFLP typing data were compared with DR serology and MLR results. Eleven of the 54 individuals showed discrepancies between DR serology and RFLP DR assignment. RFLP DR/DQ mismatch always correlated with positive MLR, but RFLP identity was present in both MLR negative and MLR positive pairs. RFLP typing cannot reliably predict a negative MLR response, but we suggest that it should be used in the selection of unrelated marrow donors to exclude mismatched donors from testing in the MLR. This will facilitate donor searches by reducing the number of MLR performed.