Mechanism of Rh prophylaxis: an experimental study on specificity of immunosuppression.
The mechanism by which Rh immunization is prevented by IgG anti-D was investigated by studying the specificity of immunosuppression. 62 D-negative Kell(K)-negative male volunteers were given two successive stimuli of 1 ml D-positive K-positive red cells. Thirty-one of the volunteers were also given 13-14 mug of IgG anti-K immediately after each stimulus, the others acting as controls. Anti-D developed in 11 of the 31 controls and in one of the 31 volunteers who had received anti-K. This marked suppression of the anti-D response by IgG anti-K was accompanied by the rapid clearance of the injected red cells to the spleen. This shows that the predominant mechanism that must be operating when IgG anti-D prevents Rh immunization is not antigen specific but is one that must involve the whole red cell, probably through destruction within splenic macrophages.
D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008297:Male; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System