HERPES-GESTATIONIS - STUDIES ON BINDING CHARACTERISTICS, ACTIVITY AND PATHOGENETIC SIGNIFICANCE OF COMPLEMENT-FIXING FACTOR

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  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 31  (1) , 38-44
Abstract
The sera of 7 of 8 patients with herpes gestationis [HG] contained a factor which fixed C3 [3rd component of complement] but not detectable amounts of immunoglobulin (Ig) on the basement membrane zone (BMZ) of normal human skin. Using C2-deficient human serum and C4-deficient guinea-pig serum, fixation was shown to be dependent upon activation of the classical pathway. Chromatography and immunoabsorption studies indicated the HG factor to be an IgG. In all 7 sera the HG factor bound to, and could be eluted from, the eluate of staphylococcal protein A. Although the HG factor failed to block staining of human sera by a FITC[fluorescein isothiocyanate]-conjugated antibody prepared from bullous pemphigoid (BP) serum, C fixation by 5 of 7 sera of patients with HG was blocked using F(ab'')2 of IgG prepared from pooled BP serum. In a single patient, rapid resolution of lesions followed plasma exchange on 2 separate occasions, indicating the pathogenetic importance of humoral factors in this disease.