Kell is not restricted to the erythropoietic lineage but is also expressed on myeloid progenitor cells.
Anti-Kell antibodies have been shown to suppress fetal erythropoiesis, but little is known about their effect on myelopoiesis. We analysed the effect of Kell-related antibodies on granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM) growth in semisolid medium using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) from haematologically normal individuals. In addition to its inhibitory effect on erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E) growth, anti-Kell antibodies significantly reduced CFU-GM colony formation from Kell-positive individuals but not from Kell-negative donors. Moreover, anti-cellano and anti-Kpb antibodies also inhibited the growth of CFU-GM from antigen-positive MNCs. These data indicate that Kell is not restricted to erythroid blood cells, but is also expressed on myeloid progenitor cells.
Wagner
T
T
Department of Blood Group Serology and Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital, Graz, Austria.
Berer
A
A
Lanzer
G
G
Geissler
K
K
D000906:Antibodies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004920:Erythropoiesis / Q000276:immunology*; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000502:physiology; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007626:Kell Blood-Group System / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000502:physiology; D019891:Leukopoiesis / Q000276:immunology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology
D000906:Antibodies; D007626:Kell Blood-Group System