title: Effect of ABO blood group mismatching on corneal epithelial cells: an in vitro study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine, in vitro, the effects of blood group ABO mismatching on corneal epithelial cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Corneal epithelial cell cultures were established from 32 human cadaver donor eyes. Epithelial cells (100 microl of 4 x 10(2) cells per microl) were incubated for 4 hours with antibodies against blood group antigens A, B, and AB, with and without complement. Cell lysis was assayed by a chemiluminescent assay using Cytolite reagent. Live cells, remaining after incubation, were counted in a scintillation counter. The blood group of the donors was determined retrospectively, in a blinded manner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Retrospective tracing of donor blood groups was possible for 20 donors. In all cases the blood group corresponded with that suggested by the cell lysis assay. Significant cell lysis was observed when known A group cells were incubated with anti-A and anti-AB antibody, B group cells were incubated with anti-B and AB antibody, and AB group cells were incubated with anti-AB antibody. Lysis occurred only in the presence of complement. No lysis of O group cells was observed with any of the antibodies. In all cases, lysis was observed only with neat (serum) antibody concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood group ABO mismatching results in significant lysis of corneal epithelial cells. The antibody concentration required for lysis equals that found in serum. Such levels of antibody are unlikely to be achieved in tears and/or aqueous. This may offer an explanation for the conflicting reports of the studies on the effect of blood group matching on corneal grafts. The variability in the outcome may reflect the levels of antibodies gaining access to the corneal cells and not the mismatching alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Clinical and Laboratory Sciences, University of Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Dua
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Powell-Richards
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D001787:Blood Group Incompatibility / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D016923:Cell Death / Q000276:immunology; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D007106:Immune Sera; D003165:Complement System Proteins