PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E L Wright

Publications and source records attributed to E L Wright.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Complement-opsonized IgG antibody/dsDNA immune complexes bind to CR1 clusters on isolated human erythrocytes.

We used fluorescence microscopy, quantitative FACS analyses, and radioimmunoassays to examine the distribution of complement (C3b)-opsonized antibody/dsDNA immune complexes (IC) bound to normal human erythrocytes (RBCs) via immune adherence (IA). IC were detected with fluorescent anti-human IgG, and the RBC IA-receptor (CR1) was revealed with monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) to CR1 and fluorescent anti-mouse IgG. Under saturating conditions RBCs exhibit a large heterogeneity in binding; a significant fraction binds no IC. The positions of bound IC coincide with CR1 clusters on RBCs, as predicted by several investigators. FACS experiments indicate an excellent correlation between CR1 number and IC binding within an RBC population. The number of CR1 clusters able to bind IC is proportional to the number of CR1 per RBC. However, IC (fluorescent spots) detected per RBC (on average less than 10) are less than the average number of IC bound (20-30). This suggests that each fluorescent spot represents a small number of aggregated IC bound to a CR1 cluster. These "patches" of aggregated complexes may facilitate transfer of RBC-bound IC to cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system. Finally, not all the CR1 clusters bind IC, suggesting that proper geometric alignment of multiple C3b per IC with several CR1 in the cluster is required for IA.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

Norepinephrine depletion reduces the effects of social and olfactory experience.

Control juvenile rats adapted normally to a new home-cage bedding odor if they were caged with rats neonatally treated with 6-hydroxydopa, but not DSP-4. Neither social nor olfactory experience influenced preferences of NE-depleted rats. In some forebrain regions of controls caged with DSP-4 rats, monoamine concentrations were depressed and a metabolite elevated, suggesting the situation was stressful. DSP-4 treatment decreased the effect of footshock on hippocampal cholinergic activity, implying that NE depletion reduced sensitivity to stress. Thus, norepinephrine may modulate the biobehavioral effects of the postweaning olfactory and social environment.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Quantitative analyses of C3b capture and immune adherence of IgM antibody/dsDNA immune complexes.

We isolated the IgM fraction from the plasma of an SLE patient with high titer anti-dsDNA antibodies and prepared soluble IgM/dsDNA immune complexes (IC) that fixed C and captured sufficient C3b to bind to human E via their C3b/C4b receptor, CR1 (immune adherence, IA). We used specific 125I-labeled mAb to IgM, C3b, and IgG to measure the stoichiometries of these C-opsonized IC. They contained 10 to 60 C3b and 10 to 30 IgM per PM2 dsDNA, had no detectable IgG, and the vast majority of the C3b was bound to the IgM, and not to the dsDNA. These stoichiometries are in contrast to those we observed for comparable E-bound IC prepared with IgG anti-dsDNA antibodies (100 to 200 C3b, and 200 to 500 IgG). Our results help explain the greater lability of the IgM IC with respect to IA as evidenced by their plasma-mediated release from human E (presumably due to factor I), and confirm previous predictions of a lower density of "packing" of IgM on dsDNA, compared to IgG. The detailed stoichiometry of C3b capture by the IgM IC (typically 1.5 to 3 C3b per IgM) suggests that individual IgM molecules with multiple C3b facilitate IC binding to clusters of CR1. Finally, comparison of the IgM/dsDNA IC with other IgM IC which have been investigated with respect to C activation, and review of the proposed mechanism by which IgM activates C, suggests that the nature of the Ag plays a fundamental role in determining whether or not an IgM IC can activate C and participate in IA.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

Propofol-fentanyl anaesthesia for coronary artery surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass.

A two-stage propofol infusion combined with fentanyl was used to maintain anaesthesia during coronary artery surgery in patients with good ventricular function. Whole blood propofol concentrations were measured at frequent intervals; plasma protein binding was measured before, during and after cardiopulmonary bypass. An initial infusion rate of 10 mg/kg/hour provided good protection from the pressor response to sternotomy. A predictable steady state concentration was achieved in the prebypass period with a maintenance infusion rate of 3 mg/kg/hour. The onset of bypass resulted in a small decrease in propofol concentration as a result of haemodilution. Induced hypothermia resulted in an increase in propofol concentration which returned rapidly to the prebypass steady state value during rewarming. The free propofol fraction increased during cardiopulmonary bypass. No patient had any recall of operative events or required inotropic support during weaning from bypass.

Adult↗

Quantitative analyses of the relationship between C3 consumption, C3b capture, and immune adherence of complement-fixing antibody/DNA immune complexes.

We have studied the turnover of the third component of C (C3) and capture of the major cleavage fragment of C3 produced during C activation (C3b) that occurs when soluble antibody/DNA immune complexes (IC) active C. We used the Amersham RIA kit for the minor cleavage fragment of C3 produced during C activation (C3a), and a new assay utilizing mAb to C3b to measure the fraction of active C3 in a C source after the IC activate C. These mAb, along with a mAb to human IgG, allowed us to measure IC stoichiometries. The efficiency of C3 turnover by the IC is quite high, and under conditions of Ab excess, the maximum number of IgG bound per dsDNA corresponds to 1 IgG/20 to 30 base pairs. The maximum number of C3b found in the IC corresponds to less than 1 C3b/IgG, and the vast majority of the captured C3b is bound to the IgG, and not to the DNA. We identified several IC that consumed large amounts of C3, and captured large amounts of C3b, but did not bind to human E via C3b receptors (C receptor type 1). This finding suggests that the ability of IC to bind to human E depends upon the number and distribution of captured C3b molecules and the conformation and size of the DNA Ag, which reflects the need for multivalent binding between several properly arrayed C3b and a "cluster" of C receptor type 1 on the human E membrane. IC that activate C3 but do not bind to E would presumably "escape" the E IC clearance mechanism, but could deposit in susceptible organs and tissues and play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE because of their potential to generate the inflammatory products of C activation.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

Early experience influences adult retention of aversively motivated tasks in normal, but not DSP4-treated rats.

Sprague-Dawley rat pups were injected with DSP4 or water within 48 hr of birth and tested as adults in an inhibitory avoidance task and in a Y-maze discrimination reversal task. Half of the animals were also tested as juveniles during postnatal weeks 4-5, in tasks assessing odor preferences and general investigatory behavior. Controls, but not drug-treated adults, which received the juvenile testing, showed significantly better retention on both tasks than either controls or drug-treated animals not tested as juveniles. Neonatal DSP4 significantly reduced norepinephrine concentrations in the hippocampus and frontal cortex, but not the heart. The results suggest that central norepinephrine may modulate the effects of early experience on adult learning.

Animals↗

DNA/anti-DNA complexes: correlation of size and complement fixation.

The hydrodynamic sizes of antibody/3H-dsDNA immune complexes are correlated with their ability to fix complement in a red blood cell-complement linked binding assay. The results with PM2 dsDNA and a sonicated preparation (with a molecular weight of approximately 5.10(5) suggest that packing considerations are also important in the complement binding reaction. The relevance of these findings with respect to the role of antibody/dsDNA immune complexes in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus is discussed.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

Studies of artificial cryoprecipitates containing anti-DNA antibody activity.

Artificial cryoprecipitates have been prepared from SLE sera by incubation of anti-double stranded DNA with 3H-PM2 DNA. IgM rheumatoid factor, and complement to study further the relationships between natural cryoprecipitation and the DNA/anti-DNA system in this disorder. Addition of rheumatoid factor and/or complement to a mixture of SLE serum and 3H-DNA results in increased precipitation of the 3H-DNA following incubation at 4 degrees C. Precipitation formed with added complement or complement plus rheumatoid factor could be rapidly resolubilized or reprecipitated by warming to 37 degrees C or recooling to 4 degrees C, i.e., exhibited the behavior of natural cryoprecipitates. The resolubilized cryoprecipitates contained excess antibody, because they bound significant quantities of additional 3H-DNA in the Farr assay. Of special interest was the observation that DNA binding activity frequently could be recovered from solubilized cryoprecipitates even though 3H-DNA was not added during the original cryoprecipitate preparation. With certain cryoprecipitations prepared in this way, the DNA binding activity was further increased by deoxyribonuclease treatment, raising the possibility that endogenous DNA may be constituent of such cryoprecipitates. The implications of these findings with respect to the nature of antibody-DNA immune complexes in SLE are discussed.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗

Stability of DNA/ANTI-DNA complexes. IV. Complement fixation.

We describe an in vitro assay to study complement fixation of antibody/dsDNA immune complexes formed from SLE sera and radiolabeled dsDNA. The method measures the amount of radiolabeled dsDNA which is part of an immune complex bound to red blood cells via the C3b complement component receptor. The assay is dependent upon active complement, red blood cells, and anti-dsDNA antibodies, but it is independent of the red blood cell donor (type O) and the age of the red blood cells (up to 10 days). The method has been compared in some detail with the Farr assay with respect to the antibody/dsDNA ratio in the immune complexes and the relative stability of the complexes as measured by their resistance to dissociation by excess unlabeled dsDNA. Our results indicate that multiple binding of antibodies to dsDNA is required for complement fixation, and that a significant percentage of those antibodies which fix complement are of high avidity. Finally, a double label assay using both [3H]- and [14C]-dsDNA indicates that the complement fixing potential of the anti-dsDNA antibodies in an SLE serum is strongly influenced by the order of mixing of the isotopes with the serum. The DNA isotope which is added to the serum first is considerably more effective at fixing complement than the isotope which is added 1 h later. The implications of these results with respect to the pathogenesis of SLE are discussed.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

Mercury levels in freshwater fish of the state of South Carolina.

Samples of fish from freshwater sources of rivers, lakes and ponds all over the state of South Carolina were collected during the Summer of 1974 and 1975. The fish collected were Bass, Bluegill, Redbreast, Catfish, Shad, Carp, Crappie, Mudfish and Pike. Samples were analyzed using the flameless atomic absorption procedure outlined by Hatch and Ott, and Uthe et al as modified for use with Perkin-Elmer, Coleman MAS-50 mercury analyzer. Triplicate samples of fish tissue were analyzed by wet digestion method. The mean mercury levels in ppb were determined for baseline mercury levels. A significant finding of this report is that those species for which fish of widely differing weights were analyzed, larger fish had higher mercury levels. Mercury levels exceeding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration guideline of 500 ppb for fish tissues have been found in the Mudfish from Edisto River and Pike fish from Lake Murray. Higher levels of mercury occurred in the highly vascularized blood tissues of liver and kidney than in muscle. Carnivorous and bottom-feeding fishes are the most reliable indicators of mercury pollution.

Animals↗