Immune Hemolysis: An Inter-Species Study

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Abstract
Summary: Chicken hemoglobin was found to absorb maximally at slightly different wavelengths than hemoglobins from the sheep, mouse, rat, guinea pig, human and rabbit. Peak absorption in the 414 mµ region of the spectrum was from 7.7 to 8.8 times as great as absorption in the 541 mµ region. Antisera against sheep E were found to be uniquely low in the ratio of hemagglutinins to hemolytically active antibodies, particularly in early antisera. Guinea pig complement (C′) was approximately 25 times as active hemolytically against sheep erythrocytes (E) as rabbit C′, but only three to six times as active against E from several other species. In a pooled guinea pig antiserum against rabbit E, nearly all the hemolytic activity was present in the “7S” antibody fraction. While agglutinating activity was present in both “7S” and “19S” fractions, the macroglobulin fraction showed very little ability to fix C′ in the presence of rabbit E. When used with rabbit C′ many antisera showed a biphasic sensitization curve, with decreasing lysis followed by a sharp increase in lysis, as the amount of antiserum was progressively reduced. In addition, many antisera produced maximal sensitization for lysis by rabbit C′ at concentrations significantly lower than required for maximal sensitization for lysis by guinea pig C′. Both of these effects were seen with “7S” and “19S” antibody fractions as well as with whole antiserum. Certain rabbit antisera against sheep E produced more hemolysis with rabbit C′ at 37° than at 30°C. Many such antisera and fractions which were tested showed a narrow range of concentrations within which lysis was greater at 30°, but at concentrations higher than this lysis was almost invariably greater at 37°. Other antisera produced more lysis at 30° than at 37°, at all concentrations which were tested.