Macroscopic changes seen in human erythrocytes heated in a suspension and the resulting effect on their blood group...

Changes in the macroscopic appearance and in the activity of various erythrocyte antigens were observed by heating human erythrocytes of known blood groups at 60-260 degrees C for 15, 30, and 60 min in a suspension that was sealed in an airtight test tube. While the erythrocytes underwent severe hemolysis after heating at 60 degrees C, this phenomenon was not macroscopically observed on heating at 80 and 100 degrees C and the cellular sludge in the tested became brown in color. With further temperature increases, the supernatant became pale yellow at 120-140 degrees C, brown at 160 degrees C and dark brown at 180 degrees C and above, whereas the sediment hardened and became darker in tone. Both A and B activity in the cellular sludge remained active until a 30-min heating at 240 degrees C, as did the O(H) activity until a 15-min heating at 220 degrees C. Both Lewis type activity was detected until a 30-min heating at 200 degrees C and a 15-min heating at 220 degrees C. The P1 activity remained specific after a 30-min heating at 180 degrees C and false-positive reactions were observed after 60 min at 180 degrees C. Among the Rh antigen activity, D activity remained until a 60-min heating at 140 degrees C, C and E until a 30-min heating at 140 degrees C, c until a 15-min heating at 140 degrees C and e until a 30-min heating at 100 degrees C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)