Increased in vitro immunosuppressive action of anti-CMV and anti-HBs intravenous immunoglobulins due to higher amounts of interferon-gamma specific neutralizing antibodies.
OBJECTIVE
We previously found that interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) antibodies in intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) can block not only IFN-gamma production and tumor necrosis factor-alpha secretion, but also T-cell proliferation. Since the presence of IFN-gamma antibodies has been attributed to previous viral infection, we hypothesized that the viral status of the plasma donors used for IVIG pools might be a decisive factor in controlling the immunosuppressive capacity of IVIG.


METHODS
We tested three different pooled, human IVIG preparations for the presence of IFN-gamma antibodies by ELISA.


RESULTS
Comparison of the immunomodulatory activity of polyvalent IVIG with that of specific CMV and HBs IVIG showed that the latter-had higher levels of IFN-gamma antibodies and an increased capacity to block mixed lymphocyte reaction and cytokine production.


CONCLUSIONS
We propose that these in vitro assays constitute a basis for the selection of plasma intended for manufacturing IVIG aimed at immunosuppression in the transplant setting.
Denys
C
C
Department of Immunology and Transfusion, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
Toungouz
M
M
Dupont
E
E
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007518:Isoantibodies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma