Publication Date:
2005-11-16
Description:
Background: The relative immunogenicity of protein red blood cell antigens is a longstanding observation. The immunogenicity of a specific antigen has been evaluated first by comparing the observed frequency of alloantibodies with the calculated frequency of the opportunity for immunization. For example in the Caucasian population, it can be deduced that K antigen is 9 times more immunogenic than Fya antigen. The aim of this work was to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the protein red blood cell relative immunogenicity. Study Design: We chose the model of K and Fya antigens since both result from of a single nucleotide polymorphism and present different levels of immunogenicity. 29 individuals producing anti-Fya and 30 producing anti-K alloantibodies were analyzed. Each individual was selected according to the presence of only one antibody: Fya or K specificity. FY* and KEL* genotyping was performed using the real time fluorescence PCR method. All individuals were Caucasian. DRB1* polymorphisms were determined at the generic level by reverse dot-blot hybridization. DRB1*04 was determined at the allelic level by PCR-SSP. The observed DRB1* frequencies were compared to those of a previously published control population of 350 Caucasian individuals. The TEPITOPE algorithm was applied to predict DRB1*-binding peptide sequences containing the specific K and Fya polymorphisms. Results: Within the anti-Fya group, the DRB1*04 was the unique restriction molecule as the DRB1*04 phenotypic frequency was 100%. In the control population, the DRB1*04 phenotypic frequency was 19.01%. The frequency of DRB1*04 was significantly higher as compared to the control population (P
Print ISSN:
0006-4971
Electronic ISSN:
1528-0020
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Permalink
