Immunoreactivity of common red blood cell antigens in cytoskeleton-free red blood cell microvesicles.
BACKGROUND
Cytoskeleton-free microvesicles can be generated from normal red blood cells (RBCs). These RBC vesicles maintain a representative sampling of the lipid bilayer and several membrane proteins. We investigated RBC antigen segregation and persistence of immunoreactivity in RBC microvesicles.


METHODS
Cytoskeleton-free RBC microvesicles were generated from erythrocytes expressing known RBC antigens. Antigen segregation into vesicles was documented by immunospecific antigen-antibody binding using IgG eluates and 125I Protein A. 125I Protein A counts per minute (cpm) ratios between antigen-positive vesicles sensitized with 11 eluates compared with those of vesicles incubated with normal human serum are reported.


RESULTS
Cytoskeleton-free RBC microvesicles preserved the antigenic expression of the original RBC's. Differences in cpm between eluate-sensitized vesicles and those incubated with normal human serum ranged from 3:1 for the Fy(b) antigen to 65:1 for the D antigen.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that molecules bearing common RBC antigens segregate into microvesicles, fully preserving their epitope-bearing activity. The major proteins of the RBC cytoskeleton are not required for such antigen expression.
Jaime-Pérez
J C
JC
Departamento de Hematología, Hospital Universitario Dr. José E. González, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Monterrey, Mexico. carjaime@hotmail.com
Gómez-Almaguer
D
D
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000276:immunology; D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology*; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G