Study of the optimal reaction conditions for assay of the mouse alternative complement pathway

The optimal reaction conditions for hemolytic assay of alternative complement pathway activity in mouse serum were investigated. A microtiter system was used, in which a number of 7.5 X 10(6) rabbit erythrocytes per test well appeared to be optimal. Rabbit erythrocytes were superior as target cells over erythrocytes from a number of other animal species. The optimal conditions were as follows: an incubation temperature of 39 degrees C, an ionic strength of about 200 mM, and a magnesium concentration of 2.5 mM. Incubation during 60 min was not sufficient for an end-point titration. Addition of 1 mg of zymosan A per test well, however, enhanced and accelerated the hemolytic activity of mouse serum via the alternative pathway resulting in a maximum value after 45 min. This, most probably, proceeded by a mechanism involving the formation of a zymosan-C5-convertase and bystander lysis of the target cells. In contrast to the normal alternative pathway assay the zymosan-potentiated test did, most probably, not involve natural antibodies. Cobra venom factor was more efficient in enhancing the sensitivity of the assay for the mouse alternative complement pathway than zymosan. This makes this factor very useful for testing C-poor body fluids.