THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SERUM AND PLASMA COMPLEMENT ACTIVITY IN PRIMARY RENAL-DISEASE

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 14  (2) , 75-80
Abstract
Low serum CH50 [total hemolytic complement] (s-CH50) levels were found in 16 of 574 patients with primary renal disease. Five of these 16 patients had normal plasma CH50 (p-CH50). The most characteristic finding in the C profile in these sera was a marked reduction in C4 and C2 hemolytic activities with a minimal reduction in C3 and C5 activities. Sera separated at 37.degree. C showed almost normal CH50 levels, nearly equal to p-CH50; sera prepared at room temperature and at 4.degree. C showed a remarkable decrease in their CH50 levels. When the serum from 1 patient showing this difference was added to pooled normal human serum, the C4 activity of the mixture decreased markedly at 4.degree. C but not at 37.degree. C. The difference apparently is caused by cold activation of serum C through the classical pathway in vitro.