Antibody complement–mediated hemolytic studies with kodecytes reveal that human complement utilized in the classical pathway is more stable than generally accepted

Abstract

An alternative method using undiluted serum and modified human RBCs observed that classical-pathway complement hemolytic activity in stored human serum is at least twice as stable as previously accepted.

Current state of transfusion practices for ABO‐incompatible pediatric heart transplant patients in the United States and Canada

“…Alternatively, standardized RBCs, in the form of kodecytes, which are designed to carry antigen profiles representative of the antigen profiles of the organ to be transplanted can be created . These ABO kodecytes can be standardized with respect to antigen type and concentration and are compatible with existing blood typing platforms and can be tailored to react with complement . Such technologies may better reflect ABO antigens in vivo and lead to future standardized methods in the detection of ABO IH titers, which may reduce interlaboratory variability.…”

Applications for kodecytes in immunohaematology

“…Consequently, most serologic training is carried out using blood samples that only give strong agglutination reactions. In contrast, kodecytes can be easily prepared to represent all serological reaction patterns including agglutination grade ranges, and controllable antibody‐complement‐mediated lysis . ABO kodecytes have been used to teach university students serologic agglutination grading skills, and it was found that, although kodecytes were able to identify students with competency difficulties, the process of assessment also negatively affected their ability to accurately grade .…”

“…The current ubiquitous use of anticoagulated samples has meant that antibody‐mediated haemolysis reactions are now rarely seen. When students were presented with kodecytes that would haemolyse against a specific serum sample , many students did not recognize the haemolysis reaction (unpublished). Quality training and ongoing standardized competency assessment are important in immunohaematology laboratories, and kodecytes allow for the preparation of standardized serological reactions suitable both for training and maintaining competency.…”

“…As such, rare cell surrogates can be produced in unlimited quantities, and they can be used to screen large numbers of samples . Kodecytes can also be created where xeno‐antigens are added to human cells . The laboratory use of xeno‐modified human red cells (kodecytes) may soon find uses in monitoring cancer and xenotransplantation therapies.…”

“…Cell‐based methodology for measuring complement activity via the classical pathway is complex and uses rabbit heterophile antibody–sensitized sheep RBCs as indicator cells with dilutions of human serum . In marked contrast, kodecytes can be made by adding heterophile antigens onto human red cells and testing them against undiluted human serum . Using these standardized xeno‐kodecytes, the stability of complement in stored serum was evaluated and found to be at least twice as stable as previously accepted .…”