Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Immunology logoLink to Immunology
. 1966 Mar;10(3):259–270.

Naturally-occurring macroglobulin antibody of foetal origin in the normal human newborn

W V Epstein, Susie W Fong, Margaret Tan
PMCID: PMC1423657  PMID: 4956831

Abstract

Normal human umbilical cord serum and matched maternal serum were found to contain haemagglutinating substances with specificity for determinants found on Bence Jones (BJ) proteins. A majority of the cord sera examined contain such agglutinators for some type L BJ protein but only rarely for type K proteins. Cord serum agglutinators were found in concentrations which exceeded those of the matched maternal serum and a minority of cord sera contained such agglutinators in the absence of similar activity in the maternal serum. This is felt to constitute strong presumptive evidence of their foetal origin. The agglutinating substances in both the cord and maternal sera behaved as macroproteins on gel filtration chromatography and were sensitive to mercaptoethanol treatment. Cord sera, in contrast to maternal sera, were almost uniformly devoid of other macroprotein antibody activity such as Forssman antibody, antibody to γG-globulin and ABO saline antibody when the latter were sought in maternal—newborn combinations incompatible for these erythrocyte antigens.

Concentration of pooled serum L-chain proteins after gel filtration chromatography revealed maternal serum levels of 8–16 μg (protein) per ml, while the pooled cord serum contained approximately 2 μg per ml of this class of protein.

The naturally-occurring macroglobulin antibodies of normal human newborn appear to have specificity directed toward L-chain sites which are relatively obstructed by the H-polypeptide chain as measured by haemagglutination inhibition. The specificity of this system for the autologous free L-chain of the maternal and newborn serum has not been established. The possible biological function of such an immunological system is discussed.

Full text

PDF
259

Images in this article

263FIG. 2
on p.263
264FIG. 4
on p.264

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ALLANSMITH M., BUELL D. N. THE RELATIONSHIP OF GAMMA-1A GLOBULIN AND REAGIN IN CORD SERA. J Allergy. 1964 Jul-Aug;35:339–345. doi: 10.1016/0021-8707(64)90097-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BERGGARD I., EDELMAN G. M. Normal counterparts to Bence-Jones proteins: free L polypeptide chains of human gamma-globulin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1963 Mar 15;49:330–337. doi: 10.1073/pnas.49.3.330. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. EPSTEIN W. V., GROSS D. NATURALLY OCCURRING HUMAN ANTIBODY REACTING WITH BENCE JONES PROTEINS. J Exp Med. 1964 Nov 1;120:733–745. doi: 10.1084/jem.120.5.733. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. EPSTEIN W. V. SPECIFICITY OF MACROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY SYNTHESIZED BY THE NORMAL HUMAN FETUS. Science. 1965 Jun 18;148(3677):1591–1592. doi: 10.1126/science.148.3677.1591. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. FRANKLIN E. C., KUNKEL H. G. Comparative levels of high molecular weight (19S) gamma globulin in maternal and umbilical cord sera. J Lab Clin Med. 1958 Nov;52(5):724–727. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FUDENBERG H. H. GM GENES AND GAMMA-G-GLOBULIN SYNTHESIS IN THE HUMAN FETUS. J Immunol. 1965 Apr;94:514–520. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. GITLIN D., KUMATE J., URRUSTI J., MORALES C. SELECTIVE AND DIRECTIONAL TRANSFER OF 7S GAMMA-2-GLOBULIN ACROSS THE HUMAN PLACENTA. Nature. 1964 Jul 4;203:86–87. doi: 10.1038/203086a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. ORLANDINI O., SASS-KORTSAK A., EBBS J. H. Serum gamma globulin levels in normal infants. Pediatrics. 1955 Nov;16(5):575–584. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. POLLEY M. J., ADINOLFI M., MOLLISON P. L. SEROLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ANTI-A RELATED TO TYPE OF ANTIBODY PROTEIN (7 S GAMMA OR 19 S GAMMA). Vox Sang. 1963 Jul-Aug;8:385–409. doi: 10.1111/j.1423-0410.1963.tb04159.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. ROTH N. [The semiquantitative estimation of the two serumimmune globulins beta2A and beta2M in the neonatal period and during childhood]. Ann Paediatr. 1962;199:548–580. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. SILVERSTEIN A. M., UHR J. W., KRANER K. L., LUKES R. J. Fetal response to antigenic stimulus. II. Antibody production by the fetal lamb. J Exp Med. 1963 May 1;117:799–812. doi: 10.1084/jem.117.5.799. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. SMITH R. T., EITZMAN D. V. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE RESPONSE OF THE HUMAN INFANT AND ADULT TO IMMUNIZATION WITH SALMONELLA VACCINES. Pediatrics. 1964 Feb;33:163–183. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. TAN M., EPSTEIN W. V. A DIRECT IMMUNOLOGIC ASSAY OF HUMAN SERA FOR BENCE JONES PROTEINS (L-CHAINS). J Lab Clin Med. 1965 Aug;66:344–356. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. TITANI K., PUTNAM F. W. IMMUNOGLOBULIN STRUCTURE: AMINO- AND CARBOXYL-TERMINAL PEPTIDES OF TYPE I BENCE JONES PROTEINS. Science. 1965 Mar 12;147(3663):1304–1305. doi: 10.1126/science.147.3663.1304. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. WIEDERMANN G., MIESCHER P. A., FRANKLIN E. C. Effect of mercaptoethanol on complement binding ability of human 7 S gammaglobulin. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1963 Jul;113:609–613. doi: 10.3181/00379727-113-28440. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. WILLIAMS R. C., Jr HETEROGENEITY OF L-CHAIN SITES ON BENCE-JONES PROTEINS REACTING WITH ANTI-GAMMA-GLOBULIN FACTORS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1964 Jul;52:60–64. doi: 10.1073/pnas.52.1.60. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES