Anti-T haemolysins: the effects of sialic acid removal and 2-aminoethylisothiouronium bromide treatment of erythrocytes on immune lysis

Background and Objectives Intravascular haemolytic reactions are reported in red-cell T-activated patients after blood transfusion. The relationship between T antigen antibodies present in normal plasma and these reactions remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the haemolytic activity of T antibodies in vitro in comparison with anti-A/B antibodies. Materials and Methods We established a haemolysis assay based on treating target red-blood-cells (RBCs) with 2-aminoethylisothiouronium bromide (AET). Two hundred and seven blood donor sera were analysed for anti-T, anti-A/B haemolysins and anti-T agglutinins. Results Anti-T haemolysins were found in 4 (1·9%) blood donor sera using a standard haemolysis method and in 174 (84%) samples using AET-treated RBCs. Haemolysis correlated with agglutination titres (P