Absence of two membrane proteins containing extracellular thiol groups in Rh_null human erythrocytes

Rhnull human erythrocytes lack all the antigens of the Rhesus blood-group system and are associated with mild chronic haemolytic anaemia. These erythrocytes have an abnormal shape and increased osmotic fragility. Labelling studies with the impermeant maleimide N-maleoylmethionine [35S]sulphone show that Rhnull erythrocytes lack two extracellular thiol-group-containing membrane components of apparent mol.wts. 32 000 and 34 000. Immunoprecipitation with mouse monoclonal antibody R6A (which reacts with all normal erythrocytes, but fails to react with Rhnull erythrocytes) specifically precipitates the 34 000-mol.wt. component from normal erythrocytes. Similar studies with human anti-Rh(D) serum shows that this antibody reacts with the 32 000-mol.wt. component. The results suggest that the R6A-binding polypeptide and the Rh(D) polypeptide may be involved in the maintenance of the shape and viability of the human erythrocyte.