Two examples of an inseparable antibody that reacts equally well with DW+ and Rh32+ red blood cells.
OBJECTIVE
Anti-DW is a rare specificity that detects an antigen on DVa red blood cells (RBCs). Some anti-DW contain an inseparable component that cross-reacts weakly with RBCs expressing the low-incidence Rh antigen Rh32. RH32 is expressed by RBCs with either the R=Nor the DBT phenotype.


METHODS
We describe here an antibody found in the serum of 2 patients that reacts equally well with RBCs possessing either DVa, R=N, or DBT phenotypes. The reactivity for DW and Rh32 antigens could not be separated by adsorption onto and elution from DW+Rh32- or from DW-Rh32+ RBCs.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that amino acids encoded by nucleotides at the junction of exon 4 of RHD to exon 5 of RHCE may induce a conformation that is recognized by these equally reactive inseparable antibodies. Until such time that the epitope recognized by these antibodies is defined, we recommend use of the descriptive name anti-DW/Rh32.
Reid
M E
ME
Immunohematology Laboratory, New York Blood Center, New York, N.Y., USA. mreid@nybc.org
Sausais
L
L
Zaroulis
C G
CG
Mohandas
K
K
Coghlan
G
G
Lomas-Francis
C
C
D000373:Agglutinins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001788:Blood Grouping and Crossmatching; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D003298:Coombs Test; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000276:immunology*; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018029:Rho(D) Immune Globulin
D000373:Agglutinins; D007518:Isoantibodies; C061961:RHO(D) antibody; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System; D018029:Rho(D) Immune Globulin; C026410:Rho(D) antigen