ANTIGEN-INDEPENDENT REACTIVATION OF ANTI-E, YEARS AFTER ALLOGENEIC BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION - A CASE-REPORT

Nine years after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation a strong anti- E was observed in a patient transplanted with bone marrow from his HLA -identical brother. This IgG anti-E, with a titre of 4000, was detecte d together with autoantibodies to red brood cells and platelets and wa s not induced by transfusion with E(+) cells. The hypothesis is propos ed that the anti-E represents either antigen-independent desuppression of the donor immune system sensitized at the time of bone marrow tran splantation by E antigens in the recipient, or antigen-independent mem ory B-cell activation by Epstein-Barr virus infection.