Patterns of Serologic Specificity of Human γG Erythrocyte Autoantibodies

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Abstract
The serologic specificity of warm-reacting γG autoantibodies eluted from the red blood cells (RBC) of 46 patients with acquired immune hemolytic anemia was systematically studied with a panel of rare human RBC including Rhnull, -D-/-D-, LW-negative, and K°K° cells as well as with several monkey RBC. Based on the patterns obtained, a tentative classification of autoantibody specificities into four major groups is proposed as a framework for further research. Autoantibody populations with anti-LW specificity or with specificity in the Kell blood group system could not be demonstrated in this series. These observations also provided evidence that autoantibody specificity is an important factor governing the presence or absence of complement fixation to RBC in vivo, as determined by direct antiglobulin (Coombs') tests with specific anti-complement (anti-C3) serum. Sixteen of 20 autoantibody eluates derived from patients whose RBC were coated with both γG globulin and complement exhibited strong reactions with Rhnull RBC. Conversely, 12 eluates displaying essentially no reactivity with Rhnull RBC, and strongly suspected to have specificities related to the Rh system, were from patients with only γG globulin detectable on their RBC.

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