| Abstract: | UV irradiation (254 nm) in doses increasing erythrocyte haemolysis by 5, 10, 18 and 28 per cent was found to stimulate, by 2--16 times, the agglutination activity of ABO and Rh system antigens. The stimulation effect was the higher the lower the antigen activity before irradiation. In the Rh-negative (Rh-) erythrocytes, irradiation induced manifestation of the Rh0(D)-antigen specific activity suggesting that this antigen may be present in the Rh- erythrocyte membrane. The expression of Rh0(D)-antigen in Rh- erythrocytes, the stimulation of its activity in Rh-positive cells, and the activation of ABO system antigens may result from a photochemical destruction of the outer perimembraneous layer and release some of its components which stain in situ with alcian blue to be presumably glycoproteins. This effect is necessary to keep in mind when UV-irradiated blood transfusion is performed in therapeutic aims Rh- patients. |
