HLA typing in lung transplantation: does high resolution fit all?

The importance of HLA typing for solid organs is twofold. On the one side, it can be used to choose the most compatible individual out of a pool of possible recipients. On the other side, it is essential to identify donors that are a priori incompatible for pre-immunized patients. In organ transplantation, the first scenario is important essentially for kidneys, while it is of limited significance in the case of lung, heart and liver transplants, which are life-saving procedures. The second scenario is critical for all patients: in this context, allelic typing of the donor may be important, particularly if the prospective recipient has allele-specific antibodies. The paper by Zhang and colleagues published in this issue of Annals of Translational Medicine reports on the value of using high definition of HLA typing in the setting of lung transplantation is discussed