Abrogation of cell-mediated immunity by a serum blocking factor isolated from patients with infectious mononucleosis.
Lymphocytes from 80% of patients with infectious mononucleosis in this study failed to produce macrophage migration-inhibition factor in response to partially purified early antigen of Epstein-Barr virus or to tetanus toxoid, whereas lymphocytes from normal subjects did produce this lymphokine. Subsequent analysis of serum from the patients with infectious mononucleosis revealed a serum factor that completely abrogated antigen-specific inhibition of migration by human leukocytes as well as lymphocyte blastogenesis. The serum blocking factor was present in sera from 11 (73%) of 15 patients with infectious mononucleos but only in sera from two (13%) of 15 normal subjects. Samples of serum from five of the patients with infectious mononucleosis and five normal subjects were fractionated with use of Sephadex G-200 gel filtration, and the eluants were assayed for several substances known to inhibit cell-mediated immunity. Serum blocking factor activity could be demonstrated only in fractionated sera from patients with infectious mononucleosis. The serum blocking factor is postulated to be either a soluble immune complex or some as yet unidentified immunoregulatory globulin contained in the IgG fraction of human serum.
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002464:Cell Migration Inhibition; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D000939:Epitopes; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid