Two sequential ABO-compatible orthotopic liver allografts failed, despite excellent initial posttransplant function, in a patient with preformed donor-specific alloantibodies. There was no evidence of cell-mediated rejection. Retrospective crossmatching of recipient serum, obtained immediately prior to the first transplant, revealed the presence of lymphocytotoxic antibodies directed against donor class I HLA B17, at a titer of greater than 1:32,768. Similarly, lymphocytotoxic antibodies directed against the second donor's class I HLA A2 phenotype were detected on retrospective crossmatching utilizing both the three-wash Amos technique (TWA-CDC), and the anti-human immunoglobulin augmented technique (AHG-CDC), at a titer of greater than 1:32,768. Anti-class I specific alloantibodies were eluted from both failed liver grafts at titers of 1:256. The hepatic necrosis in zones 3 and 2 that were observed on histologic examination, and the profound refractory consumptive thrombocytopenia subsequent to each transplant may have been the result of antibody-mediated rejection by preformed lymphocytotoxic antibodies. Despite the liver's remarkable capacity to withstand antibody-mediated injury, primary humoral rejection following ABO compatible liver transplantation may occur if extremely high titers of performed allospecific lymphocytotoxic antibodies are present.
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Ratner et al. (1993) studied this question.