Quantitative and Thermodynamic Studies of Erythrocytic ABO Antigens

This paper presents recent data from quantitative and thermodynamic investigations on A and B erythrocyte antigens. In regard to weak A phenotypes on the basis of quantitative data, practically no gap is observed from the weakest Aend to the strongest A3. Weak B phenotypes give a similar distribution. However, a more precise structural analysis including kinetics and thermodynamic measurements provides convincing evidence for the heterogeneity of each type of weak B reactive structures. Weak B antigens appear to be different from one to another, but similar inside one family. However, thermodynamics failed to demonstrate a qualitative difference between the weak B antigen in Bx groups and the enhanced B antigen in ABx heterozygote, phenomenon that occurs in some very rare families. The same data were obtained from kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of B reactivity in cis AB samples; it can be assumed that such mutants are all different.