DEVELOPMENT OF A FROZEN VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL CELL PANEL

THE MAJOR BARRIER TO SUCCESSFUL TRANSPLANTATION IS THE PRESENSITIZED RECIPIENT. THE TRADIONAL APPROACH TO EVALUATEPRESENSITIZATION IS TO SCREEN PATIENT SERA AGAINST A LYMPHOCYTE PANEL. THE UNOS REGISTRY INDICATES THAT ACCELERATED REJECTION OCCURS WITH A 7 TO 15 PERCENT FREQUENCY IN FIRST TRANSPLANTS AND AT HIGHER FREQUENCIES IN RETRANSPLANTS AND HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS. THERE IS A NEED TO BETTER DEFINE DETRIMENTAL PRESENSITIZATION. THE VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL CELL IS ALWAYS THE TARGET OF REJECTION IN ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION. VEC TEC, INC., WILL DEVELOP A FROZEN PANEL OF ALLOGENEIC VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL CELLS BY IDENTIFYING THE OPTIMAL CRYOPRESERVATIVE MEDIA AND FREEZE/THAW CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR OPTIMAL VIABILITY. THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT WILL PERFORM CLINICAL TRIALS TO ESTABLISH OPTIMAL SHIPPING AND HANDLING CONDITIONS, AS WELL AS IDENTIFYING THE STORAGE LIFEOF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL CELLS. ANALYZING THIS RAW DATA IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ASHI SERUM REPOSITORY WILL FACILITATE SEROLOGICAL STUDIES THAT DEFINE THE ENDOTHELIAL CELL ANTIGENS, DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF LOCI AND ALLELES, IDENTIFY MHC LINKAGE DISEQUILIBRIUM, AND SET NOMENCLATURE.