Application à la sérologie transfusionnelle du caractère antigénique P 1 du blanc d'œuf de pigeon

Abstract

Summary An antigen cross-reacting with the human blood group P1 has been discovered in turtle-dove and pigeon's blood and egg-white. In the egg-white, The P1 antigenicity is carried by a glycoprotein called ovomucoid which is particularly rich in galactose residues. Turtle-dove ovomocoid is an acidic glycoprotein homogeneous in size but heterogeneous in charge. The protein consists in fact of five components whose isoelectric points are ranging from 3,6 to 4,1 and possessing all a strong P1 activity. Turtle-dove and pigeon ovomucoids are both monospecific anti-P1 inhibitors as it has been established by inhibiting the hemagglutination of a panel of anti-erythrocyte antibodies. This paper describes the use of ovomucoid as specific anti-P1 inhibitor in the cases where two or more antibodies must be elucidated in the serum of polyimmunized people. On account of its velocity and efficiency, the use of that new soluble blood group substance will probably and advantageously supplant the classical method of absorption with erythrocytes.