Local tolerance and stability up to 24 months of a new 20% proline-stabilized polyclonal immunoglobulin for subcutaneous administration.

Subcutaneous administration of human IgG is an alternative to intravenous replacement therapy that is associated with more stable serum IgG levels and fewer systemic adverse events. Highly concentrated IgG solutions are most convenient to minimize infusion volume, but their preparation and stability presents substantial technical difficulties. We report on the stability and local tolerance of IgPro20, an l-proline-stabilized, 20% polyvalent human IgG developed for subcutaneous administration.

The globoside receptor triggers structural changes in the B19 virus capsid that facilitate virus internalization.

Globoside (Gb4Cer), Ku80 autoantigen, and α5β1 integrin have been identified as cell receptors/coreceptors for human parvovirus B19 (B19V), but their role and mechanism of interaction with the virus are largely unknown. In UT7/Epo cells, expression of Gb4Cer and CD49e (integrin alpha-5) was high, but expression of Ku80 was insignificant. B19V colocalized with Gb4Cer and, to a lesser extent, with CD49e.

Molecular mechanism underlying B19 virus inactivation and comparison to other parvoviruses.

Background: B19 virus (B19V) is a human pathogen frequently present in blood specimens. Transmission of the virus occurs mainly via the respiratory route, but it has also been shown to occur through the administration of contaminated plasma-derived products. Parvoviridae are highly resistant to physicochemical treatments; however, B19V is more vulnerable than the rest of parvoviruses.

Pathogenic antiphospholipid antibody: an antigen-selected needle in a haystack.

Antiphospholipid antibodies represent a heterogeneous group of autoantibodies directed against anionic phospholipids (PLs) usually linked to protein cofactors. Their presence during the antiphospholipid syndrome is associated with risks of thrombosis and fetal losses. Among 5 randomly selected monoclonal antiphospholipid antibodies, all originating from a single patient suffering from this autoimmune disease, only 1 induced fetal losses when passively injected into pregnant mice.

Memory B cells producing somatically mutated antiphospholipid antibodies are present in healthy individuals.

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) are associated with thrombosis and recurrent abortions during autoimmune pathologies, but they are also produced in healthy individuals and during infectious diseases. To analyze the possible links between physiologic and pathologic aPLs, it is of importance to characterize normal aPL production. We took advantage of the known tropism of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) for B cells in general, and memory B cells in particular, during primary infectious mononucleosis (IMN) in 3 patients to get access to anticardiolipin (aCL)-producing B cells.