Mechanisms of alloantibody production in sensitized renal allograft recipients

While clinical protocols have been developed to allow for successful kidney transplantation in patients with high levels of donor-specific alloantibody (DSA), significant limitations still exist including high rates of early humoral rejection and decreased long-term graft survival compared to conventional transplants. A better understanding of the mechanisms of alloantibody production at baseline and at various phases posttransplant would be an important step toward the development of improved therapeutic approaches. The goal of this review is to outline recent studies regarding antibody production in general and specific studies that illustrate what is known about alloantibody production in sensitized patients.