Immunologic patterns in hemodialysis patients with and without HBV infection.

66 patients from 5 dialysis centers were surveyed for the prevalence of HBV markers. Their immune status was evaluated by studying parameters of cellular and humoral immunity. Results showed that all patients had depressed T cell numbers while B cell counts, IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and C3 levels were normal.

Autoanti-idiotypic lymphocytes in man.

Cells with anti-idiotypic properties were detected 4-6 months following immunization with tetanus toxoid (TT), and were undetectable 10 days following a booster injection. The presence of these cells concomitantly with the normal drop of anti-TT serum titers, and their specific binding to autologous IgG--F(ab')2 anti-TT, suggests a negative feedback at the idiotypic network level.

Regulation of monoclonal immunoglobulin G synthesis by antiidiotypic antibody in a patient with hypogammaglobulinemia.

The regulation of in vitro antibody synthesis by antiidiotypic antibodies was studied in a child with hypogammaglobulinemia and a serum immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 kappa M component. A rabbit antiserum was raised against the purified M component and was rendered idiotype specific by extensive absorption with Cohn fraction II and with IgG derived from the patient's parents. Hemagglutination-inhibition studies demonstrated that less than 1 in 300,000 molecules of pooled human IgG carried M component-related idiotypic determinants.

Antigen-specific helper factor in man.

Supernates of tetanus toxoid (TT) antigen-stimulated human T cells were studied for the presence of an antigen-specific T-cell helper factor (ASF). Supernates were circulated over an immunosorbent column consisting of insolubilized TT antigen. The material which bound to the column was eluted with 3 M NaCNS and was shown to contain a factor which in the presence of TT-induced specific IgG anti-TT antibody synthesis in autologous B cells without causing readily detectable proliferation.

The specificity of T-cell helper factor in man.

Supernates of human T cells stimulated with TT antigen contain a factor that induces mitogenesis and immunoglobulin synthesis in autologous as well as allogeneic B cells. A fraction of the IgG produced has specificity against TT. The T-cell-derived LMF-TT eluted after albumin on Sephadex G 200 and did not contain immunoglobulin heavy chain determinants.