Recognition of a polymorphic monocyte antigen in HLA

Abstract

The serological recognition of ‘new’ gene products of the HLA system can be accomplished by selecting sera with strong leucocyte antibodies and testing these against a panel of cells obtained from donors which are compatible for the known HLA antigens with the antibody producer. This approach, which we termed the HLA-CAP approach (compatible with antibody producer), was essential in the recognition of what is now called the HLA–DR locus¹ and of non HLA-linked T-cell subgroups². Using the same technique, we have defined here several sera recognizing a structure on monocytes similar to one of the alleles of the HLA-linked PL3^3,4 or secondary B-cell (SB)^5,6 system, so far only recognized by cellular techniques.