Cold insoluble globulin: relationship with lymphocytotoxins in autoimmune diseases.
Lymphocytotoxic activity is known to better occur at low temperatures and to be relatively enriched in cryoglobulins. As the cold insoluble globulin, Fibronectin, is a main component of cryoglobulins, experiments were carried out to find out whether Fibronectin was involved in the mechanism of cytotoxicity or not. No direct or indirect (complement-mediated) effects were seen. A significant association was observed between lymphocytotoxic activity and circulating immune complexes and between Fibronectin positivity and cytotoxicity in PEG-precipitates of sera from three groups of patients affected with SLE, RA and Ps.A. respectively. As Fibronectin is a cryoprecipitagogue protein, possible implications of these findings are discussed.
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis; D001168:Arthritis / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000276:immunology*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000276:immunology
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D005353:Fibronectins; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha