Neutrophil antigen 5b is carried by a protein, migrating from 70 to 95 kDa, and may be involved in neonatal alloimmune neutropenia

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil antigen 5b has been described as involved in transfu sion reactions and not in neonatal alloimmune neutropenia. CASE REPORT: Anti-5b was found in the serum of a mother of a persistently n eutropenic newborn, who had several bacterial infections. The neutropenia r esponded to treatment with recombinant human granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor. Immunoprecipitation experiments performed with this and three othe r 5b antisera identified a protein, migrating from 70 to 95 kDa, as carrier of 5b. The observed pattern of migration may point to heavy glycosylation of this protein. RESULTS: Six 5b-negative donors were identified among 54 screened white don ors, for a 5b gene frequency of 0.66. CONCLUSION: Alloimmunization to 5b in pregnancy is rare. In the patients wi th neonatal neutropenia analyzed in the last decade, this was the first cas e discovered.