title: Immunological aspects of the acquired B antigen.
abstract: Nine cases of acquired B antigen were studied. By quantitative methods the variation of the A reactivity and of the number of A sites was found to be inversely related to the variation of the B reactivity. By agglutination kinetics using an immune anti-B, the acquired B reactive structure was found to differ from that of a normal B. Agglutination variation, with pH, points out to the part played by one electrically charged chemical group. No transferase galactosyl activity was found in the serum, and no B substance in the plasma. According to these results the B reactive structure must have been formed at the expense of the A reactive structure. This "acquired B" type may have arisen as a result of the action of a bacterial deacetylase, transforming the A reactive N-acetyl galactosamine into galactosamine.
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005643:Fucose; D005690:Galactose / Q000378:metabolism; D006384:Hemagglutination; D006596:Hexosaminidases / Q000097:blood; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007785:Lactose; D037102:Lectins; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D007519:Isoantigens; D037102:Lectins; D005643:Fucose; D006596:Hexosaminidases; D007785:Lactose; D005690:Galactose