Sialic Acid Deficiency of Human Red Blood Cells Associated with Persistent Red Cell, Leucocyte, and Platelet Polyagglutinability

Abstract

This study reports, for the first time, a persistent polyagglutinability involving all blood cells of a patient. The phenomenon is shown to be an immunological reaction due to an antibody present in sera of all normal adults, whereas the antigen, tentatively designated 'Tcr', is unique to the patient. It is shown that T,, is related to T,, an antigen previously described in association with red cell polyagglutinability. A partial deficiency ofred cell sialic acid is also found to be associated with this abnormality. It is suggested that this sialic acid deficiency may be a manifestation of a primary underlying muco-protein abnormality.