Studies on the genetics of leukocyte antigens.

NTIGENIC DIFFERENCES among human leukocytes are well established,14 and it is known that patients can be immunized against donor leukocytes with the development of agglutinating antibodies.5 Antibodies against leukocytes have been found in patients subjected to repeated blood transfusions, and the incidence of such immunization appears to be proportional to the number of transfusions given.6’7 In most cases the previous reports have been mainly concerned with the demonstration of leukoagglutinins, and few studies relevant to the problem of genetics are available. However, the demonstration that serum with leukoagglutinins obtained from multiply transfused patients may not react with all tested leukocytes,3 and that different leukocytes react differently with a panel of leukoaggltitinating sera,4 suggest that a classification of leukocyte “types” may be possible. The present study concerns a panel of sera containing immune leukoagglutinins, and their reactions with leukocytes of relatives and unrelated subjects.