Fig. 3.

Effect of properdin reconstitution on Neisseria meningitidis W135 phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear cells (PMN). Sera of eight properdin-deficient persons without previous meningococcal disease (− NmD) and five properdin-deficient patients with previous NmD due to meningococci W135 (+ NmD W135) were individually used to opsonize FITC-labelled meningococci W135. Sera were used as such (properdin −) or upon reconstitution with 10 μg/ml purified properdin (properdin +). The percentages of PMN phagocytozing opsonized N. meningitidis W135 are represented for individual sera after incubation for 25 min at 37°C. Sera of one individual are linked. The statistical analysis (Mann–Whitney test) was performed on paired sera from all 13 patients. The subgroups (with and without meningococcal disease) were not analysed separately.