The role of acidification of the medium on the erythrocyte agglutinating and adsorbing properties of blood group-specific monoclonal antibodies.

Background: Studies on the specificity of ABH antigen-antibody interactions at different pH values are rare. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the effect of acidification of the reacting medium on the agglutinating ability of anti-A monoclonal antibodies (mABs) and their inhibition by glycoconjugates of red blood cell membranes.

Methods: Anti-A mABs were obtained from the Fourth International Workshop on Monoclonal Antibodies Against Human Red Blood Cell and Related Antigens (on July 19-20, 2002, in Paris, France). The glycoconjugates were isolated from erythrocytes' membranes. The inhibition of the lipid and protein isotypes of the blood group A antigen was assessed.

Results: The acidic medium decreased the agglutinating ability of acid immunoglobulin M (IgM) anti-A mABs, in contrast to alkaline immunoglobulin G (IgG) mABs. Meanwhile, at pH 6.5, IgM antibodies exhibited a high adsorption capacity, while IgG antibodies demonstrated a strong adsorption capacity at an alkaline pH. mABs 2-19, 2-28, 2-22, and 2-8 were inhibited by the acidic lipid and protein glycotopes of erythrocyte membranes. However, mAB 2-8 was inhibited by both acidic and alkaline glycotope variants.

Conclusions: The agglutinating and adsorbing abilities of mABs, which are revealed at opposing pH values, should be taken into account during studies of antigen-antibody interactions.