title: Analysis of BoLA w6. Evidence for multiple subgroups.
abstract: BoLA w6 is one of 16 specificities agreed upon at the 2nd International BoLA Workshop and many laboratories have produced sera reacting with this specificity. This paper presents evidence for at least four sub-groups in w6. Three Edinburgh sera showing identical reaction patterns in the 1st and 2nd BoLA workshops have been studied by absorption. One serum contained a single antibody population reacting with an epitope common to all w6 positive cells. The other two contained antibodies against the same common epitope, antibodies to epitopes on four sub-groups and an antibody reacting only with one subgroup w6.1. Another Edinburgh serum contained two populations of antibodies. One reacting with the common epitope and one with an epitope on two or possibly three subgroups. Immunisation between w6 positive individuals produced antisera to two subgroups without producing antibodies to common epitopes. At least two additional subgroups are likely to exist. These results indicate the presence of specificities unique to individual subtypes coupled with epitopes common to some and all w6 subgroups.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000276:immunology*; D005838:Genotype; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens