Antigen questions

[jvarnold]

We recently found out my boyfriends mother isn't able to donate because she's borderline diabetic.  She was a 3/6 antigen match. I am still willing but I am a 0/6 antigen. Crossmatch is a match with him though. What are the compications/problems/negative outcomes/anything with the antigens? The higher the antigen match the better? I've read what they were but I'm still unsure exactly. Does it have to do with your immune system? (So many questions I'm sorry!) My paternal aunt (deceased) and grandmother are diabetic but they aquired that in their older age and from being obese. I'm hoping this doesn't mean I am...ok, thanks in advance for answers! 

[monrein]

I received a kidney from my sister-in-law a year ago and it was a 0/6 antigen match.  I'm doing very well a year out and we were told that the newer anti-rejection drugs are less fussy about the antigen match.  A 6/6 would give better odds but beyond that, the fact of having a living donor rather than a cadaveric far outweighs anything else.  There have been other threads about this topic and if I can find them I'll point you in that direction. 

[RichardMEL]

My Neph, who is a professor of Medicine and well respected in this country nephrology wise, also told me that these days the antigen match isn't the most critical thing and for a live donation they would accept a 2, 1 or 0/6 match if the kidney was good and all that. I think though still for cadaveric they still want a good match.