A Study of Cold Hemagglutinins for Normal and Trypsinized Red Blood Cells in the Serum of Normal Individuals and of Hemolytic Anemias

摘要

1. 1. Classical cold agglutinins in low titer demonstrable in saline dilutions of serum were found in all of the 30 normal individuals studied.2. 2. Incomplete cold agglutinins demonstrable by trypsinized red blood cells or by albumin diluted serum were also present in all these normal persons.3. 3. No abnormal increase in cold agglutinins occurred in 11 patients with hereditary spherocytosis.4. 4. Increase above normal in the titer of saline cold agglutinin occurred in only 22 per cent of 18 cases of acquired hemolytic anemia. In each case, this was accompanied by increases in the titers of incomplete antibodies in the cold.5. 5. On the contrary, incomplete antibody was demonstrable by the trypsinized red blood cell or albumin tests at 37 C in all 18 cases of acquired hemolytic anemia, in 78 per cent of which no abnormal increase of titer appeared at 4 C.6. 6. It was suggested that the immunologic phase of certain hematologic diseases is characterized by antibody usually demonstrable at 37 C, which may be accompanied by abnormal cold agglutinins in a small percentage of cases of acquired hemolytic anemia.7. 7. It was further suggested that this antibody is a hemagglutinin which sensitized normal cells and agglutinated trypsinized red blood cells over a temperature range from 4 C-37 C; was better absorbed at 4 C, and acted as an “auto” agglutinin in vivo as well as in vitro .8. 8. By analogy with data presented on the course of immunization with Rh antigen, it was postulated that the “cold” aspects of the serology of acquired hemolytic anemia occurred only with maximal quantitative and/or qualitative immunization.