Effect of enzymes on and chemical modifications of high-frequency red cell antigens.
Enzyme or chemical modification of intact red cells results in the destruction of some blood group antigens. The pattern of reactions of an antibody with red cells treated with various proteinases, with sialidase, and with the disulfide bond-reducing agent 2-aminoethylisothiouronium bromide (AET) can aid in antibody identification. This information can prove particularly beneficial with antibodies to antigens of very high frequency, where antigen- negative cells may be difficult to obtain. Provided in this article is a table listing most of the authenticated high-frequency red cell antigens and the effect on those antigens of trypsin, chymotrypsin, a mixture of trypsin and chymotrypsin, papain, pronase, sialidase, and AET.
Daniels
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Medical Research Council Blood Group Unit, Wolfson House, 4 Stephenson Way, London, NW1 2HE, UK.