Novel antibody screening cells, MUT+Mur kodecytes, created by attaching peptides onto red blood cells

Antibody screening and identification panels are generally limited by the natural antigenic phenotypes present in their source donor population. However, the recent ability to attach peptides to the surface of cells has opened up the opportunity to create red blood cells (RBCs) with antigen profiles specifically designed for antibody screening and identification in a target population.

Clinically significant antibodies to variant glycophorins (GPs) such as GP.Mur are more commonly seen in certain Asian populations. Using peptides representative of the MNS antigens MUT and Mur, RBC antibody screening cells were created using KODE cell surface engineering constructs. MUT-, Mur-, and MUT+Mur-modified RBCs, known as kodecytes, were tested against monoclonal reagents and polyclonal sera with specificity for epitopes on GP.Mur-positive RBCs.

Kodecytes retained their normal expression of intrinsic blood group antigens while expressing the new epitopes attached by KODE technology. The MUT, Mur, and MUT+Mur kodecytes, although unreactive with the various monoclonal reagents, were appropriately reactive with polyclonal sera containing antibodies reactive with GP.Mur-positive RBCs.

This study used selected MUT and Mur peptides and KODE cell surface engineering technology to create MUT+Mur kodecytes suitable for the detection and identification of RBC antibodies in human serum or plasma. This technology has the potential to create a large range of specialized RBCs for antibody screening and identification.