Genetic markers in human bone: II. Studies on ABO (and IGH) grouping.

A combination absorption-elution, two-dimensional absorption-inhibition procedure was used to determine the ABH antigen composition of a series of human bone specimens of known ABO type that had been aged up to nine months under dry and humid conditions at ambient temperature, 37 degrees C, and 56 degrees C; at ambient temperature in dry and wet soil; and buried in soil outdoors. Grouping data for the separate elution and inhibition testing, as well as for the combination procedure, are given. The combination method was found to be a highly reliable procedure for bone tissue ABH typing. Some data on microbial contaminants of human bone specimens aging in soil, and their effects on ABH typing results, are presented. No direct correlation between the properties of microbial contaminants and specific changes in the ABH antigenic composition of aging bone tissue specimens could be ascertained. Data on IGH antigen determination and on the quantitation of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in human bone tissue extracts indicated that immunoglobulin levels were typically too low to expect routinely successful Gm antigen testing results. However, these factors can sometimes be determined in fresh bone tissue extracts, particularly if the extracts are concentrated.