Association between H LA and Red Cell Antigens

Serum from a multitransfused patient with bladder papilloma was examined. The serum contained anti-Kell as well as polyspecific, cytotoxic HLA antibodies and HLA-associated haemagglutinins. The HLA haemagglutinins were demonstrated by the Auto Analyzer method and reacted predominantly with red blood cells (RBC) from HLA-A28-positive individuals, and were distinctly weaker with all other test cells. Survival studies with 51Cr-RBC from an HLA-A28-positive, Kell-negative donor with strong A28 RBC reactivity were performed. A small component of the RBC showed clearly reduced survival time, while the main component showed nearly normal survival.