Blood group A, B and H antigens on red cells of non-human primates were examined by direct hemagglutination reaction, antibody absorption and heat elution tests. ABH substances on red cells from prosimians, New World and Old World monkeys were detected only by elution test with human anti-A, anti-B and chicken immune anti-H antibodies and their activities were equivalent to those from variants of human group A and B. Red cells of apes except gorilla were agglutinated with anti-A, -B and -H from human antisera, monoclonal antibodies and lectins, and their activities corresponded to the activities of human intermediate types of blood group A and B. Red cells of gorilla reacted weakly with human antisera, but failed to react with monoclonal antibodies, and such reactivities of red cells were corresponded to those of human subgroups.
In various species of non-human primates, as in human, blood group specific anti-A and/or -B antibodies were present in the serum according to Landsteiner's rule. Water soluble and chloroform-methanol soluble extracts from digestive tissues of prosimians, New World and Old World monkeys showed the ABH-activities demonstrated on red cell. Extracts from submaxillary glands, stomach and upper part of small intestine showed stronger activities than lower part of intestine, and were almost equivalent to those of tissues from human secretors.
