Human Agglutinins to Rabbit Erythrocytes

Abstract

Crude preparations inhibiting the agglutination of rabbit erythrocytes by pooled human serum were obtained by extraction of erythrocyte stromata with various solvents (e.g., chloroform/methanol, trichloroacetic acid). The highest inhibiting activity was found in a preparation containing sphingoglycolipid; 0.8 .mu.g inhibited 2 agglutinating units of serum. The active preparations retained their activity after 5 min of incubation in a boiling water bath and after treatment with proteolytic enzymes or neuraminidase. Treatment with periodate abolished the activity. The antigenic site is probably determined by the sugars of the sphingoglycolipid.