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  1. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
  2. Clinical Laboratory
  3. Departments
  4. Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)

Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)

Central Building, First Floor, Room M1/300
4301 W. Markham St, Slot #502
Little Rock, AR 72205

Phone: 501-686-7257
Fax: 501-686-7443

Medical Director: Terry O. Harville, M.D., Ph.D.

Manager: James Marshall, MT(HEW) Phone: 501-296-1247

Supervisor: Catherine Lee, BSMT(ASCP), CHS Phone: 501-686-7248

Hours of Operation

Laboratory Hours: 6 a.m. – midnight, Monday through Friday

On Call Services available 24 hours, 7 days a week

The HLA laboratory provides specialized histocompatibility testing for patients undergoing organ transplantation, bone marrow transplantation, platelet transfusion support, and disease study association testing.  The HLA laboratory is an American Society of Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics (ASHI) accredited laboratory.

HLA Test Requisition Form

HLA Specimen Collection Requirements

Available Tests

HLA Class I (ABC) Typing

Specimen Requirements: 10 ml ACD tube or spleen/lymph node

HLA Class I (ABC) typing is performed by low-resolution reverse sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (RSSO). This test can be performed using anticoagulated peripheral blood, lymph nodes or spleen.

HLA Class II (DR/DQ/345) Typing

Specimen Requirements: 10 ml ACD tube or spleen/lymph node

HLA Class II (DR/DQ/345) typing is performed by low resolution reverse sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (RSSO). This test can be performed using anticoagulated peripheral blood, lymph nodes or spleen.

High Resolution HLA Class I (ABC) & HLA Class II (DRB1/DQB1/BRD345) Typing

Specimen Requirements: 10 ml ACD tube or 2 buccal swabs

High Resolution HLA Class I (ABC) & HLA Class II (DRB1/DQB1/BRD345) typing is performed by next generation sequencing (NGS). This test are used for listing of bone marrow patients on the NMDP list or for allo-transplantation, and for HLA Typing of renal and cardiac transplant patients.

HLA B27 Typing

Specimen Requirements: 10 ml ACD tube

HLA B27 is performed by low-resolution reverse sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (RSSO) to determine the presence or absence of the antigen. HLA B27 is used for disease association phenotyping for diagnosis of spondyloarthropathies.

HLA B*57:01 Typing

Specimen Requirements: 10 ml ACD tube

HLA B*57:01 is performed by low-resolution reverse sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (RSSO) to determine the presence or absence of this allele. HLA B*57:01 is associated with increased risk for hypersensitivity to Abacavir.

Single Antigen Testing (PRA) — Antibody Identification

Specimen Requirements: 10 ml Red top tube

Patient serum is screened against an array of microbeads coated with purified HLA antigens. Antibodies that bind to the microbeads are labeled and detected using a fluorescent PE-conjugated anti-hum IgG secondary antibody. LABScreen assays are used to determine Class I and Class II HLA antibody specificity. This test is also used to determine MFI values of donor specific antibodies (DSA).

Flow Crossmatch

Specimen Requirements:
Recipient (Patient): 10 ml Red top tube & 10 ml ACD tube
Donor: 20 ml ACD tube

Patient serum is crossmatched with donor lymphocytes to detect donor specific antibodies in the patient serum. Patient serum can also be crossmatched against the patient’s lymphocytes to detect autoantibodies (Auto crossmatch). Antibody binding is visualized through fluorescent-labeled secondary antibodies using the flow cytometer.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences LogoUniversity of Arkansas for Medical SciencesUniversity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Mailing Address: 4301 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: (501) 686-7000
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