The DR system of rhesus monkeys: a brief review of serology, genetics, and relevance to transplantation
Balner, H.
Transplantation Proceedings 12(3): 502-508
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-1345 PMID: 6452726 Document Number: 161500
The DR locus of rhesus monkeys and the relevance of its products to histocompatibility was briefly reviewed. Current knowledge of serology and genetics reveal that, as in man, the DR locus of the rhesus monkey is less polymorphic than the A or B loci of the MHC, that DR antigens are highly associated (or identical) with the D or major MLC locus antigens, and the there are several groups of cross-reacting DR antigens. Further, there is evidence for the existence of (B-cell-specific) Ia antigens that are not controlled by DR but by other genes, located inside or outside the RhLA region. With regard to histocompatibility, matching unrelated individuals for DR antigens (and, by implication, for D antigens) has a highly beneficial influence on kidney allograft prognosis. However, provisional data indicate that DR matching of unrelated monkeys does not have a beneficial influence on skin graft survival or on the fate of lethally irradiated monkeys treated with hemopoietic stem cell concentrates. Matching for SD antigens, an the other hand, does not improve kidney allograft prognosis, but has a distinctly positive influence on skin and bone marrow transplantation among unrelated rhesus monkeys.