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. 1979 Apr;24(1):211–217. doi: 10.1128/iai.24.1.211-217.1979

Immune electron microscopy of cross-reactions between Mycoplasma pneumoniae and human erythrocytes.

J E Deas, F A Janney, L T Lee, C Howe
PMCID: PMC414285  PMID: 457271

Abstract

Respiratory infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae evokes immunoglobulin M autoantibody which agglutinates human erythrocytes at 4 degrees C (cold agglutinin) and is specific for I antigen. Cross-reactions between surface antigens of M. pneumoniae and human erythrocytes, previously examined by serological analysis, were examined by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Ferritin-labeled human antimycoplasmal and rabbit antisera to erythrocyte membrane components reacted with antigens on the surface of both M. pneumoniae and erythrocytes. Adsorption of human erythrocytes to M. pneumoniae was blocked by the same antisera without ferritin label. It is proposed that the cross-reactive specificity lies in peripheral areas of the mycoplasmal cell, probably in a surface carbohydrate which has antigenic identity with erythrocyte glycoprotein.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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