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Mouse erythrocytes form spontaneous rosettes with a population of B lymphocytes from normal individuals and from patients with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Since lymphocytes from patients with CLL respond poorly to pokeweed mitogen (PWM), we have compared mouse rosette positive (MR+), mouse rosette negative (MR-), and unfractionated B lymphocytes from normal individuals in their response to PWM. Mononuclear cells were fractionated into B. MR+ and MR- cell populations and then combined in 1:1 proportions with mitomycin-C treated T cells in culture media. Lymphocyte co-cultures were incubated for up to 10 days in the presence of PWM. Supernatant immunoglobulin (Slg) levels, percentage intracytoplasmic immunogtobulin (ICIg), and proliferative responses were determined. MR+ cells alone failed to produce significant levels of SIg (P<0.025) or percentages of ICIg positive cetls This decreased synthesis of immunoglobulin by M R+ cells occurred in the presence of adequate T cells, macrophages and a satisfactory proliferative response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously reported spuriously elevated values for serum thyrotropin (TSH) measured by immunoradiometric assay (IRMA). We tested those sera showing interference with the TSH assay in a ferritin IRMA which used 125I-rabbit antiferritin antibody and solid phase goat antiferritin antibody as reagents and spleen ferritin as standard. In this assay, we obtained falsely low ferritin values that were corrected by addition of 0.2% non-immune rabbit serum to the labelled antibody. Two other radioimmunoassays gave results with these sera that were not falsely lowered. The interference was shown to be due to human IgG reactive with rabbit serum, the specificity of the interfering antibody being similar in all affected sera. Human antibodies directed against immunoassay reagents may lead to spuriously increased or decreased immunoassay results depending on the specific reagents involved.

Biases were compared for eight analytes determined using common chemistry instruments. Data for three levels of liquid control sera were obtained from over 350 laboratories participating in a quality control program. These data were contrasted with comparable results for lyophilized material and reported in a CAP proficiency survey. In general, biases appeared to be proportional to analyte level. For some analytes, biases with liquid material were less than with lyophilized material, but for most analytes, biases were greater with liquid than lyophilized material. However, when liquid material is used for monitoring interlaboratory precision, the consequences of analytic biases are minimized because of large pool sizes.

Previously the authors demonstrated that most patients with AIDS have serum antilymphocyte antibodies. Therefore, in an attempt to decrease these antibodies and at least transiently increase blood lymphocytes, they treated one AIDS patient with three courses of plasmapheresis. During or after each course, his T4 lymphocytes rose significantly but subsequently fell to baseline values within two weeks after therapy. The increase in T4 lymphocytes was associated with removal of patient plasma rather than infusion of heterologous plasma. These results suggest the need for more investigation into plasmapheresis as adjunct therapy for AIDS.

Antibodies to the membrane antigens of human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I (anti-HTLV-MA) have been detected in patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and in patients with hemophilia. The authors examined sera from 71 AIDS patients and 46 hemophiliac children for the presence of anti-HTLV-MA using an indirect membrane immunofluorescence assay with flow cytometry analysis. Thirty-seven of the 71 (52%) AIDS patients and 7 of the 46 (15%) hemophiliac patients had high titered anti-HTLV-MA, using a T-lymphoid cell line infected with the leukemia virus. None of the 78 control subjects had high titered antibody. All seven hemophiliac patients with elevated anti-HTLV-MA used Factor VIII concentrates, and all had inverted T-lymphocyte helper-suppressor (T4 [Leu-3]/T8 [Leu 2]) ratios. No correlations were found between inverted T4/T8 ratios and antibody to cytomegalovirus, Toxoplasma gondii, or hepatitis B. This work supports contentions that HTLV-like organisms cause AIDS and that these organisms are transmitted by blood products such as Factor VIII concentrate.