H-Antigen in HeLa Cells and H-Antibodies in Anti-HeLa Sera

Abstract

IN 1959 Kelus et al.¹ were able to demonstrate H-antigen in HeLa cells by means of mixed agglutination using extracts from Ulex europens as anti-H agglutinin. At that time in our laboratory the species-specific antigenicity of cultivated mammalian cells was being investigated by means of a hæmagglutination test which involved guinea pig anti-cell sera and erythrocytes of various species². The species-specificity of this test was established, partly by excluding blood-group specific reaction. This finding was supported by the work of Högman³, who verified that human cell cultures lose blood group A and B antigens in the early stages of cultivation. Apparently, this does not occur with regard to H-antigen according to the observation of Kelus et al. mentioned here. Yet, H-specific reaction was found not to interfere in species-specific hæmagglutination. This conclusion was reached indirectly by demonstrating species-specific cell hæmagglutinogens and erythrocyte receptors to be proteins in contrast to the carbohydrate nature of blood-group substances⁴. A more direct examination of this problem was made possible when Bombay blood erythrocytes (lacking H-antigen) and Bombay blood serum (containing anti-H isoagglutinins) became available to us. Various experiments were carried out.