J. G. Eernisse

Leucocyte Antibodies in Sera of Pregnant Women

1 The leucocyte agglutinins arising during pregnancy are isoantibodies directed against an antigen present on the leucocytes of the husband and some of the children. 2 With the aid of such sera it is possible to recognize leucocyte groups. 3 These antibodies can cause transfusion reactions. 4 The antigens against which these antibodies are directed are found not only on the leucocytes but also on the thrombocytes, and in placental tissue. They are not found on the erythrocytes. 5 The possible significance of these antibodies in connection with spontaneous abortion is mentioned.

A New Leucocyte Group with Two Alleles: Leucocyte Group Five

With the aid of four sera which contained leucocyte agglutinins and were obtained from women who had been pregnant, it has been possible to define a di‐allelic leucocyte group, designated leucocyte group Five. The antigen 5a has a gene frequency of 0.181 and the antigen 5b a gene frequency of 0.819. The importance and limitations of cross‐absorption experiments in these studies are discussed.

Erythrocyte survival-time determinations with the aid of DF32P.

IN 1954 Cohen and Warriiiga showed that di-isopropylfluorophosphonate labelled with radiactive phosphorus (DF32P), was suitable for the determination of the survival time of erythrocytes. They stated that the irreversible binding of the DF32P to the esterases present in the cell membrane makes this determination possible without having to take into account elution of the label. This observation was confirmed by Bove and Ebaugh (1958) and Pollycove, Dal Santo and Lawrence (1957) and by other workers, although Bovc and Ebaugh described an accelerated decrease of radioactivity in the first days of the determination. Furthermore, the applicability of DF32P for the determination of the survival time of thrombocytes and, with some restriction, of leucocytes was demonstrated by Leeksma and Cohen (1956), van Rood, Eernisse and van Leeuwen (1957) and Pollycove (1959). The erythrocyte survival studies so far reported have been limited to persons with no blood disorders. We have studied patients suffering from anaemia of various kinds and in some cases have also sought to relate thc mean life-span of the erythrocytes, as obtained with the aid of DFS2P, to investigations of haemolysis. By mean life-span (MLS) is meant the average time during which the erythrocytes, aftcr their appearance in the circulating blood, remain there. In this article the results of this investigation will be reported and, at the same time, some difficulties will be indicated which may be met with in the determination and interpretation of these survival-time curves.

Acquired Aplastic Anaemia in Adults

The effect of conservative treatment of aplastic anaemia was evaluated retrospectively in 40 patients. No significant beneficial effect was provided by long-term high-dose oxymethalone in 20 patients

Antibodies Against Leucocytes in Sera of Pregnant Women

examined), the proportion possessing the Gm factor is 57.3 %. We tested whether the fact that a patient has the Gm* factor may influence the serological reactions. First of all, we studied, together with F. Jacqueline, patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatism controlled for several years. In actual fact, rheumatoid arthritis is the main affection during which such a possibility may be foreseen. The observed divisions of Gm* were 56.8% in 271 patients suffering from P.C.E. This division amounted to 58.7 % in patients with a positive Waaler-Rose reaction and to 53.3 % with a negative reaction. There is, therefore, no correlation between the presence of Gm* factor and that of the agglutinating factor responsible for the Waaler-Rose reaction. Study of the division of the Gm* factor was performed during another form of chronic inflammatory rheumatism, spondylitis, as well as during infectious mononucleosis, diabetes and diseases of the haemopoietic organs.