Immunologic responses in human recipients of osseous and osteochondral allografts.

A multiinstitutional study was carried out to evaluate immunologic responses for human recipients of massive frozen (-80 degrees C) osseous and osteochondral allografts. Allografts were used to reconstruct skeletal defects associated with a variety of traumatic degenerative and neoplastic disorders. Serum samples were obtained before surgery and from 1 month to 4 years after surgery. Sera were tested by microcytotoxicity against T cells from 60 donors for human leukocyte antigen Class I antibodies and against beta 2-microglobulin treated B cells from 40 donors for human leukocyte antigen Class II antibodies. Panels were selected to represent the majority of known human leukocyte antigen specificities. Of the 84 cases evaluated, 62 (74%) received blood transfusions and 28 of 44 (64%) female recipients had been previously pregnant. Sensitization before transplant was shown in 33 of 84 (39%) patients. After grafting, 49 of 84 (58%) recipients showed evidence of sensitization to Class I antigens and 46 of 84 (55%) recipients showed evidence to sensitization to Class II antigens. Overall sensitization was 67%.