Urea Transporter, Erythrocyte (UTE)

The possibility that the urea transporter of human erythrocytes may be related to Kidd blood group antigens was raised by the observation that red cells from Jk(a-b-) individuals which lack Kidd antigens exhibited an increased resistance to lysis in aqueous 2 M urea. These cells exhibited a defect in urea transport, whereas chloride, water, and ethylene glycol permeabilities, as well as aquaporin-associated Colton blood group antigens, were the same as in control cells. Olives et al. (1995) demonstrated that, indeed, the urea transporter of human erythrocytes is encoded by the Kidd locus. In coupled transcription-translation assays, the UTE cDNA directed the synthesis of a 36-kD protein that was immunoprecipitated by human anti-Jk(3) antibody produced by immunized Jk(a-b-) donors whose red cells lack Kidd antigens.