Penicillin Sensitization of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hæmoglobinuria Erythrocytes

THE ability of penicillin to function as a hapten can be detected by a hæmagglutination technique involving the use of penicillin-coated erythrocytes 1,2 . It appears that all normal human erythrocytes as well as those from rabbits and sheep can be successfully sensitized with the antibiotic. As par...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1962-07, Vol.195 (4837), p.189-190
Main Author: WATSON, K. C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Humanities and Social Sciences
letter
multidisciplinary
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
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Summary:THE ability of penicillin to function as a hapten can be detected by a hæmagglutination technique involving the use of penicillin-coated erythrocytes 1,2 . It appears that all normal human erythrocytes as well as those from rabbits and sheep can be successfully sensitized with the antibiotic. As part of an investigation to characterize the antibody concerned, it was found that the majority of sera giving positive direct hæmagglutination of sensitized cells suspended in saline failed to cause hæmolysis with added complement, although hæmolysis occurred if enzyme-treated penicillin-sensitized cells were used instead. Since sera from patients with certain forms of auto-immune hæmolytic anæmia will also cause hæmolysis of paroxysmal nocturnal hæmoglobinuria erythrocytes, experiments were carried out to determine whether paroxysmal nocturnal hæmoglobinuria penicillin-sensitized cells would undergo hæmolysis in the presence of antibody and complement/properdin complex.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/195189a0