A MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY TO SWINE ERYTHROCYTES RECOGNIZES THE B-BLOOD-GROUP ON THE MAJOR GLYCOPHORIN

Recently monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to swine red blood cells have be en described. One of them (1AC11) was specific for the major swine gly coprotein with a molecular weight of 45 kDa and another mAb, 2G2, reco gnized the B-a allele in the B system of swine blood groups. Immunoblo tting experiments to characterize the mAb 2G2 indicated that it reacts with an antigen of 45 kDa, present on the aqueous phase, glycophorin fraction, of swine red blood cells with the B-a allele and does not re act with (BBb)-B-b homozygous cells. The antigen recognized by 2G2 has the same characteristics as the major glycophorin recognized by 1AC11 , so we can conclude that the B system of the swine blood group is on the major glycophorin of swine erythrocyte membranes.