The phospholipid requirement for Rho(D) antigen activity: mode of inactivation by phospholipases and of protection by anti-Rh0(D) antibody.

Previous studies have suggested a membrane phospholipid requirement for Rho(D) antigen activity. Isolated erythrocyte membranes incubated with phospholipase A2 from both bee venom and porcine pancreas undergo loss of Rh antigen activity. The mode of attenuation of this antigen activity as indicated by double-reciprocal binding plots suggests substantial loss of sites accompanied by an apparently increased association constant. In the presence of anti-Rho(D), but not anti-A, bound to group A Rho(D)-positive membranes prior to hydrolysis, there is marked protection: almost complete preservation of sites at the expense of a decreased association constant. This pattern of protection is not seen with phospholipase C, which cleaves the polar headgroup in contrast to the A2-enzymes, which hydrolyze the fatty acid in the 2-position. Analysis of the products of digestion shows a trend to protection of bulk phospholipids of all major classes in the presence of bound specific antibody. The hydrophobic fatty acid chain may be the site with which the bound anti-Rho(D) antibody is in closest proximity.