Binding of the complement intermediate C56 to zymosan in acute phase human sera.
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C56 is known to appear in the fluid phase when zymosan is incubated at 37 degrees C with certain acute phase 'reactor' sera. In the present study, C56 was detected bound to the zymosan particle prior to its appearance free in solution. In reactor sera C56 was formed and released with kinetics similar to that of the generation and decay of a C56-binding site formed when zymosan was incubated with normal serum. Bound and fluid phase C56 was detected only in reactor sera, and was generated only by agents known preferentially to activate the properdin pathway. Elution of C56 from zymosan in hypertonic salt solutions proved to be a convenient step in the partial purification of large amounts of this haemolytically active bimolecular complex. (+info)
Detection of platelet isoantibodies by (3H)serotonin platelet release and its clinical application to the problem of platelet matching.
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The detection of platelet isoantibodies by the release of (3H)serotonin from platelets has been evaluated. The conditions for optimal release of (3H)serotonin with platelet isoantibodies using a microtechnique have been defined. A group of cardiac surgery patients were followed pre- and post-transfusions, with 48percent developing a positive serotonin release assay. Of these patients, 16percent also had a platelet complement-fixing and/or lymphocytotoxic isoantibody. There was variation in the degree of correlation between (3H)serotonin release and lymphocytotoxicity using individual National Institutes of Health typing serum. The matching obtained between family members by both techniques showed a close correlation when each technique was evaluated separately using the same NIH typing serum. The detection of iso-antibodies in patients with hematological malignancies correlated with the unresponsiveness to unmatched platelet transfusions in 15 out of 17 cases. The use of the patient's isoantibody to matched platelets of family members by (3H)serotonin release correlated well with the clinical response to transfusion with these platelets. The data suggest that (a) platelet isoantibodies can be detected with increased frequency by (3H)serotonin release; (b) (3H)serotonin release is a specific reaction depending on the surface antigen of the platelet; and (c) the method can be used to match compatible family members for platelet transfusions. (+info)
Suggestive evidence for in vivo binding of specific antitumor antibodies of human melanomas.
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Antibodies eluted from homogenates of human melanoma cells reacted against melanoma cells reacted against melanoma antigens in a complement fixation test. Before elution, sonically treated homogenate did not react significantly against autologous serum but, following elution, antigenic activity increased markedly (up to 32-fold). Eluate of one melanoma reacted with the sonically treated residue of other melanomas but not with similarly prepared residues of sarcoma, carcinomas, or normal tissues. Melanoma eluates comtained more IgG than IgA. Traces of IgM were found in two melanoma eluates. Eluates of normal tissues (lung, kidney, and muscle) were devoid of serum proteins and did not react with the soncially treated melanoma residues. These results support the hypothesis that antitumor antibodies are bound to melanoma cells in vivo and that these antigens are cross-reactive. (+info)
Comparative biophysical studies of hepatitis B antigen, subtypes adw and ayw.
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Comparative biophysical and biochemical analyses were performed on purified preparations of hepatitis B antigen (HBs Ag) subtypes adw and ayw, including isoelectric pH evaluations, analysis of the different morphological forms, molecular weight determinations, and analysis of the polypeptides by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Both HBs Ag-positive plasma and purified HBs Ag were analyzed by electrofocusing in a sucrose ampholyte gradient. Four distinct populations of HBs Ag with a pH range of 4.5 plus or minus 0.1 to 5.4 plus or minus 0.1 for unfractionated plasma samples and 3.9 plus or minus 0.05 to 4.9 plus or minus 0.05 for purified samples were detected in both adw and ayw preparations. Electron microscopic studies of each population of purified HBs Ag revealed 19- to 27-nm spheres in each fraction. Purified material labeled with 125I by the chloramine-T method behaved as one major population with an isoelectric pH value of 3.9 plus or minus 0.1. Purified adw preparations revealed a major population with a molecular weight of 3.7 times 10-6 and a second one of 4.6 times 10-6. Purified preparations of ayw contained one population with a molecular weight of 4.6 times 10-6. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of purified HBs Ag revealed nine polypeptides for ayw and seven for adw particles. These studies indicate that purified preparations of HBs Ag are heterogeneous and that distinct differences can be detected between the two subtypes. (+info)
Brucella abortus RB51 and hot saline extract from Brucella ovis as antigens in a complement fixation test used To detect sheep vaccinated with Brucella abortus RB51.
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The efficacy of Brucella abortus RB51 and hot saline extract (HSE) from Brucella ovis as antigens in complement fixation (CF) tests was comparatively evaluated in detecting immune responses of sheep vaccinated with B. abortus strain RB51. For this study, four 5-month-old sheep were vaccinated subcutaneously with 5 x 10(9) CFU of RB51, and two sheep received saline. Serum samples collected at different times after vaccination were tested for the presence of antibodies to RB51 by a CF test with RB51 as antigen, previously deprived of anticomplementary activity, and with HSE antigen, which already used as the official antigen to detect B. ovis-infected sheep. The results showed that vaccinated sheep developed antibodies which reacted weakly against HSE antigen and these antibodies were detectable for 30 days after vaccination. However, antibodies to RB51 could be detected for a longer period after vaccination by using homologous RB51 antigen in CF tests. In fact, high titers were still present at 110 days postvaccination with RB51 antigen. Sera from sheep naturally infected with B. ovis also reacted to RB51 but gave lower titers than those detected by HSE antigen. As expected, all sera from RB51-vaccinated sheep remained negative when tested with standard S-type Brucella standard antigens. (+info)
Post-transfusion purpura: a heterogeneous syndrome.
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Three new patients with post-transfusion purpura (PTP) are described. As the manifestations in two differ significantly from those of previously reported cases, they serve to expand the definition of this syndrome. Although all 14 previously reported cases have occurred in Pl-A1-negative females, one of our patients was a Pl-A-negative male. Moreover, a female whose postrecovery platelets possessed the Pl-A1 antigen is described. Antiplatelet antibody activity was detected in all three patients by the 51Cr release test; in contrast, only one reacted in the complement (C) fixation assay. Serum obtained during the acute episode from the PlA1-positive patient reacted against platelets from four of 11 normals by C fixation and against platelets from 48 of 53 normals by 51Cr release, including five of nine Pl-A1-negative platelet samples. This case represents the first instance of PTP in which the platelet isoantibody was not specifically directed against the Pl-A1 antigen. These observations suggest that PTP may be a more heterogeneous disorder than previously realized. (+info)
Field validation of the use of RB51 as antigen in a complement fixation test to identify calves vaccinated with Brucella abortus RB51.
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In order to confirm the efficiency of an experimental RB51-based complement fixation (CF) test in identifying cattle vaccinated with Brucella abortus strain RB51, 831 sera from 110 vaccinated and 48 unvaccinated Hereford heifers of Iowa, collected for studies conducted in different years, were sent to Italy without coding to be tested in a CF test using RB51 as antigen. Most of the calves, aged from 3 to 10 months, were vaccinated subcutaneously with the recommended dosage of 10(10) CFU of RB51 commercial vaccine, while only six calves received 10(9) CFU of the same vaccine. Serum samples for serologic testing, collected until 16 postinoculation weeks (PIW), were also tested by routine surveillance tests for brucellosis such as rose bengal plate and CF tests performed with B. abortus smooth strain 99 as control antigen. RB51 CF test results obtained by testing sera from cattle vaccinated in 1999 indicate that the sensitivity of the reaction is 97% at 2 to 3 PIW and 90% until 8 PIW and decreases to 65% at 12 PIW, the specificity remaining at 100%. Collectively, the results of this study confirm that serologic standard tests fail to detect antibodies to RB51 while the RB51-based CF test is able to monitor antibody responses to RB51 until 15 to 16 PIW with a specificity of 100%. In addition, unlike the RB51-based dot blot assay, which is the only test currently used to monitor antibody responses to RB51, the CF test also detected specific responses following vaccination with 10(9) CFU of RB51, although seroconversion was only 50% at 8 PIW. In conclusion, because of high specificity and sensitivity, the CF test described here can be used to efficaciously monitor serologic responses following RB51 vaccination in cattle and could also be employed to detect RB51 infection in humans exposed to this strain. (+info)
Sensitivity and specificity of the complement fixation test for detection of cattle persistently infected with Anaplasma marginale.
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The complement fixation (CF) test commonly is used to identify cattle infected with Anaplasma marginale prior to interstate or international movement. Estimates of the accuracy of the CF test in detecting animals persistently infected with A. marginale vary widely. In this study, the sensitivity and specificity of the CF test for detection of carrier animals was determined using serum from 232 cattle previously defined as A. marginale positive or negative by nested polymerase chain reaction methods and hybridization. Considering results from 2 independent laboratories and interpreting a 1:5 suspect reaction as positive, the best estimate of CF test sensitivity was 20%, with a specificity of 98%. Using a 1:10 cutoff, sensitivity decreased to 14% and specificity increased to 99%. Results of this study indicate that the CF test is ineffective for identifying cattle persistently infected with A. marginale and thus is inadequate for anaplasmosis regulatory and surveillance programs. (+info)