title: Measurement of Donath-Landsteiner antibody-producing cells in idiopathic nonsyphilitic paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (PCH) in children.
abstract: A 2-yr-old girl with a nonsyphilitic type of paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (PCH)  is reported. We applied the plaque-forming cell (PFC) assay to the measurement of Donath-Landsteiner (DL) antibody-producing cells in the patient. Some of the circulating B lymphocytes formed plaques in our assay system. Initially the number of PFC was 1442 +/- 225/10(6) lymphocytes and DL titer was 1:16. Thereafter the PFC decreased in number as the DL titer decreased. Eight weeks later circulating PFC were not found but the DL titer was still 1:1 positive. The PFC assay appears to be useful as a new method for obtaining rapid imformation as to the disease status of PCH.
mesh_terms: D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006457:Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal / Q000276:immunology*; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D006801:Humans