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Discusses the relationship between adaptive immunity and the nature of blood groups. Importance of understanding adaptive immunity in blood transfusion; Events leading to the formation of blood group antibodies; T-cell dependent and independent antibody formation; B-cell development; Role of B cells in improving the affinity of antibody for antigen.

Describes a study in which a patient developed respiratory distress syndrome after an experimental gamma-globulin and monocyte-reactive IgG antibodies were given to him. Patient; Complications; Conclusions.

Discusses the case of a woman with chronic autoimmune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP). Her symptoms, including a petechial rash on her chest and legs, with widespread bruising; Rapid fluctuations in her platelet count; Relation between the patient's consumption of tahini and thrombocytopenia episodes; Treatment.

Abstract: The membrane associated MMP, MT1-MMP, is a critical pericellular protease involved in tumour cell invasion and angiogenesis and is highly up-regulated in numerous human cancers. It therefore represents an exciting new therapeutic cancer-specific target. We have generated recombinant human scFv antibodies against the non-catalytic, hemopexin domain of MT1-MMP that modulate its interactions with collagen. One of these is an effective inhibitor of the invasive capacity of cancer cells and of angiogenesis in model systems. This demonstrates that targeting sites outside the catalytic domain presents a potential novel approach to proteinase inhibition that could have applications in cancer therapeutics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Molecular cloning techniques and V gene phage display have revolutionised the production of human monoclonal antibodies. Antibodies of a defined specificity can be obtained by selecting phage display libraries on antigen in a process known as panning. We have applied these techniques to the isolation of three HLA-A2-specific single chain variable domain fragments (scFv) from a patient alloimmunised by blood transfusion. Analysis of specificity with cells of HLA genotyped donors revealed the following: i) in addition to the major reactivity with HLA-A2, cross-reactivity with the HLA-A28 epitope; and ii) inhibition of scFv binding to the antigen by the patients' antibodies. The heavy chain variable genes of all three were derived from the germline gene Cos-3, carry the hallmarks of somatic hypermutation, and are most likely derived from clonally related B cells. The light chain variable domains were encoded by DPK1 and DPK8 from the VkI family. These data show that phage display can be used to clone HLA-specific alloantibodies that recognise the native antigen from alloimmunised patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]