H-Y antiserum recognizes male-specific and non-specific components in human lymphocytes

Serological assays for H-Y antigen, which is male-specific in mammals, all give slightly positive but non-negligible results when females are tested. All assays used to this day share this characteristic; furthermore they do not analyse the pattern of antigens recognized by the antisera. We used the Western blot technique in an attempt to do this, and observed that three components (relative molecular mass: 15-20 kilodaltons (kD)) were recognized both in females and in males tested, and a single specific band of 32-34 kD relative molecular mass in males. This confirms the existence of a serologically detectable male antigen on human lymphocytes, and explains the existence of a certain level of antigen expression in females tested by different techniques, including the indirect immunofluorescence and ELISA used here for comparison.