Murine monoclonal antibodies against a unique determinant of erythrocytes, related to Rh and U antigens: expression on normal and malignant erythrocyte precursors and Rhnull red cells.

Three murine monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) MB-2D10, LA-18.18 and LA-23.40 were prepared. They reacted with red cells of all common and most rare blood-group phenotypes, with the exception of those of the RhnullU negative and RhmodU negative phenotypes. So far, only a single example of an alloantibody (Duclos or anti-Rh38) of a similar specificity has been found. Serological studies indicated that the Mabs were probably not directed against an antigenic determinant of Rh polypeptides, the LWab glycoprotein or glycophorin B, all structures absent from or aberrantly expressed on Rhnull red cells. The antigen was found to be erythrocyte-specific, and was also present on pro-erythroblasts, erythroblasts and malignant erythroblastoid cells but not on erythroid progenitors in the bone marrow. The Mabs were found to block each other in an immune rosette method and are thus probably directed against the same epitope or against neighbouring epitopes on the same structure. In immunochemical studies, MB-2D10 precipitated the 30-32 kDa Rh polypeptides from red cell membranes and a protein or proteins which formed diffuse and overlapping bands in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, with Mrs of 40-200 kDa (probably the Rh-related glycoproteins). Under certain experimental conditions glycophorin B appeared to be coprecipitated. The 2D10 structure, detected by the Mabs, seems to be part of a complex of proteins and/or glycoproteins, which includes Rh polypeptides, the LWab glycoprotein and glycoproteins recognized by various Mabs with Rh-related specificities. In the red cell membrane, the complex may be associated with glycophorin B.