Possible detection of HLA-DR alloantigenic specificities in man with unabsorbed rabbit antisera.

Thirty-six rabbits were immunized with precipitin lines formed between detergent solubilized membrane fractions from HLA-D-homozygous cells and a rabbit antiserum to human B cells (anti-p 23/30). Thirty-one of the rabbits produced B-cell specific cytotoxic antibodies and twelve of the antibodies were also precipitating in gel diffusion. In cytotoxicity tests six of the antisera showed clear preferential reactivity with the immunizing HLA-D (DR) antigen. Thus immunization of rabbits might prove valuable for the production of HLA-DR typing reagents.