A constitutive antibody in normal human serum directed against rabbit bone marrow cells: Lack in parturients, neonates, and hematologic disorders

Daphna Manor, Rachel Nussinovich, Avivah Yeheskel, Raymond Kaempfer*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Normal human serum effectively inhibits a bioassay for erythropoietin based on DNA synthesis by rabbit erythroid precursors. This heat-sensitive inhibitory activity is readily lost on dilution of serum, revealing the presence of erythropoletin-potentiating activity. Inhibitory activity is caused by a rapid cytotoxic effect on rabbit bone marrow cells; mouse cells are less sensitive. Cytotoxic activity is removed from serum by adsorption to protein A, is not expressed at 4° C, and is neutralized by anti-C3c complement antibody. Cytotoxicity is inhibited by EGTA; the effect of EGTA is reversed by addition of Ca2+ ions. These findings show that cytotoxicity is exerted through an antibody via the classical pathway of complement-dependent cell lysis. Although serum from healthy, adult human donors consistently contains cytotoxic activity, no such activity is observed in most serum samples from neonates, parturients, and patients with severe anemia. Patients with polycythemia or chronic renal failure occasionally lack cytotoxic activity in their serum. Serum samples lacking cytotoxic activity were found to be deficient in the antibody component in 34 out of 35 cases examined. These results show that an antibody directed against rabbit cells is constitutively present in normal human serum but is absent in a number of pathologic situations as well as being absent in neonates and parturients.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)771-778
Number of pages8
JournalTranslational Research
Volume116
Issue number6
StatePublished - Dec 1990

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