Soluble CD30 in patients with antibody-mediated rejection of the kidney allograft

Abstract The aim of our retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical significance of measurement of the soluble CD30 (sCD30) molecule for the prediction of antibody-mediated (humoral) rejection (HR). Sixty-two kidney transplant recipients (thirty-one C4d-positive and thirty-one C4d-negative patients) were included into the study. Soluble CD30 levels were evaluated before transplantation and during periods of graft function deterioration. The median concentrations of the sCD30 molecule were identical in C4d-positive and C4d-negative patients before and after transplantation (65.5 vs. 65.0 and 28.2 vs. 36.0 U/ml, respectively). C4d+ patients who developed DSA de novo had a tendency to have higher sCD30 levels before transplantation (80.7 ± 53.6 U/ml, n  = 8) compared with C4d-negative patients (65.0 ± 33.4 U/ml, n  = 15). Soluble CD30 levels were evaluated as positive and negative (≥ 100 U/ml and Conclusion We could not confirm in our study that high sCD30 levels (≥ 100 U/ml) might be predictive for the incidence of HR. Negative sCD30 values might be however helpful for identifying patients with a low risk for development of DSA and antibody-mediated rejection.