Two-site immunoenzymometric assays for serum IgG subclass infant/maternal ratios at full-term

Improvements were made in the range, precision, convenience, automation, and reliability of our previously published two-site immunoenzymometric assays using mouse monoclonal antibodies specific for human IgG and its subclasses. The serum concentration ratios for these immunoglobulin isotypes were measured in neonatal/maternal paired sera from 119 normal full-term deliveries. These ratios are significantly different than 1.0 (P = 0.001) for total IgG, IgG1, and IgG2 (show non-equality of paired neonatal/maternal sera concentrations) but are not significantly different than 1.0 for IgG3 and IgG4. On average, IgG1 is elevated 61%, and IgG2 is depressed 11% in the full-term neonate with respect to its own mother. In some pregnancies, active transport of IgG1 may be selectively enhanced by low material IgG1 concentration and selectively inhibited by high levels.