Ryan P Jajosky, Brock D Hughes, Caitlin L Cepeda, Sasikala Muthusamy, Andre J H Wittig, Wenhui Li, Samata P Varadkar, Shang-Chuen Wu, William O Scott, Carter J Stowell, Sadie Larson, Katelyn Sturgis, Connie M Arthur, Sean R Stowell
Alloantibodies, which can arise naturally in early life or after exposure to allogeneic red blood cells (RBCs), can pose a significant risk to blood transfusion. When patients with alloantibodies receive incompatible RBCs, they may experience potentially fatal hemolytic transfusion reactions (HTRs). Transfusion services work to prevent such reactions by identifying compatible blood; however, complications can still occur, especially in patients with complex alloantibody profiles. Given the consequences of these reactions clinically, various preclinical models have been developed to study incompatible RBC transfusions and their consequences. These models provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of HTRs and suggest potential preventive strategies. We will describe key considerations when using preclinical models to study the overall consequences of incompatible RBC transfusions, using the KEL model as an example.