The search for HLA-matched donors: a summary of HLA-A*, -B*, -DRB1/3/4/5* alleles and their association with serologically defined HLA-A, -B, -DR antigens.

This report summarizes data obtained from several large studies including the WHO HLA Nomenclature Committee, the International Cell Exchange, UCLA, the British Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Rare Cell Exchange and the National Marrow Donor Program and individual laboratories aimed at identifying a serologic type for specific HLA-A,-B,-DRB allelic products. Alleles that are poorly characterized at the serologic level are indicated and an approach is suggested for obtaining the information needed to clarify their serologic typing. The tables provided will be useful in guiding searches for an unrelated donor in which patient and/or potential donors are typed either by serology or by DNA-based methods and will provide a "dictionary" of potential equivalents between HLA "types" obtained by the two methods.