Studies on the Ny^a Blood Group Antigen and Antibodies

A Contribution to the Ny^a Problem

“…In Oslo, among 3,639 sera of blood donors, 4 cases of anti-Nya were found and 18 cases among 30,000 sera of pregnant women; that is, almost 0.1% [3]. Cleghorn [6] did not find antibody carriers in 5,000 sera in Britain nor did N akajima et al [5] among 2,000 sera of Japanese, and Pineda and Taswell [8] among 2,000 sera of blood donors of the Mayo Clinic Blood Bank.…”

“…On the other hand, Oerjasaeter et al and N akajima et al succeeded in producing cor responding heterosera by immunizing rabbits [4,5]. Oerjasaeter and Kornstad [3] found no antibodies in the sera of 7 Nya(-) women who had given birth to Nya( + ) babies. Until now we have not heard of cases of morbus haemolyticus neonatorum caused by anti-Nya.…”

“…Oerjasaeter and Kornstad [3] postulated that the antibody does not penetrate the placenta: sera of newborn infants whose mothers had an anti-Nya showed no affinity to Nya( + ) cells.…”

“…This may be used in cases of disputed paternity. Two such cases in a family with 4 children have been reported [3]. The first and the second child of the 4 siblings were Ns Nya(-), although the father could have transmitted to them only the complex Ns Nya(+ ).…”

“…It is detectable in saline and albumin replacement and is destroyed by treatment with papain [3]. Nya( + ) erythrocytes are able to immunize rabbits [4,5].…”