HLA system in solid organ transplantation part 28

T cell receptor epitope matching

As mentioned previously, the peptide binding groove of MHC molecules has pocket defining  the types of peptides bound to their surface, and the peptides have anchor side-chains able to bind those pockets. Therefore, from the theoretical stand-point, it is possible to infer from the known amino acid sequence of HLA alleles from the donor and the recipient, whether certain peptides from the donor HLA molecules will be generated  in certain recipients and whether they would be able to bind stably to their recipient's HLA molecules, and to contribute to the allostimulation via the indirect pathway of allorecognition. Being able to predict such interactions would be of clinical relevance as the indirect pathway  of allorecognition appears to perpetuate a state of rejection, which is very difficult to manage and eventually leads to transplant loss.