RECEPTORS ON GUINEA-PIG ERYTHROCYTES SPECIFIC FOR CELL-BOUND 4TH COMPONENT OF HUMAN-COMPLEMENT (C-4)

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (2) , 195-202
Abstract
Guinea pig erythrocytes have receptors for heterologous (human and rabbit) complement [C] activated by the classical pathway on cell surfaces. The present study showed this by rosette-forming reactions of guinea pig erythrocytes and human lymphocytes or sheep erythrocytes pre-treated with antibody and human R3C. The binding is temperature-dependent and is enhanced by treating the guinea pig erythrocytes with neuraminidase. The receptors were specific for C4 by inhibition tests employing a range of anti-human C antibodies (including anti-C1q, -C.hivin.1 inhibitor, -C4, -C2, -C3 and -C3b inactivator). Of these reagents, only anti-C4 inhibited receptor activity, indicating that the guinea pig erythrocyte C4-receptors differ from those on lymphocytes, monocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes and human erythrocytes which are reported to react with C3b and C4b. In contrast to the strong affinity observed for heterologous C4, guinea pig erythrocytes appear to react very weakly, if at all, with homologous C4.