Red blood cell (RBC) allo-immunization is the immune response of an individual to foreign RBC antigens not present on the surface of their own cells. An efficient detection of alloantibodies is of major interest to manage transfusions in regularly transfused patients, or for the pregnancy follow-up in the context of haemolytic disease of the foetus and new-born (HDFN). However, The Rh blood group system is one of the most polymorphic and immunogenic system, defined by least 54 Rh antigens, some of which being very rare in the population. To date, available commercial test cell reagents, composed of red cell panels expressing different Rh phenotypes, are able to encompass only few of these Rh specificities. Researchers have developed a cell-free system for the production of RH proteins, allowing to obtain large quantities of these proteins in their native state. The method, validated on RhD and RhD-RhAG antigens, relies on the use of in-house assembled nanodiscs, able to incorporate membrane proteins, preserving not only the solubility but also the conformation of newly synthetized membrane proteins. This is to date the first method allowing to generate in vitro Rh antigens with a correct conformation and, thus, ready to be tested by several antibodies, thereby representing a new approach for diagnostic in hematology laboratories investigations.
International patent application in 2017 (WO/2017/064294A1)
Patent delivered in EP, US, CN and CA
Red-Blood-cell antigens - Rhesus phenotypes - Blood transfusion - Cell-free antigen production - Protein conformation
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