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Methods for Quantitative Detection of Antibody-induced Complement Activation on Red Blood Cells
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Methods for Quantitative Detection of Antibody-induced Complement Activation on Red Blood Cells

Published on: January 29, 2014

Complement and circulating immune complexes in children with mumps meningitis

K Madaliński, D Imbs, H Gregorek

    Archivum Immunologiae Et Therapiae Experimentalis
    |January 1, 1984
    PubMed

    Insights

    Complement activity (CH50) decreases and circulating immune complexes (CIC) are present in children with mumps meningitis. These levels normalize over time, indicating the immune system

    Area of Science:

    • Immunology
    • Virology
    • Pediatrics

    Background:

    • Mumps meningitis is a significant neurological complication in children.
    • The role of complement system activation and immune complex formation in mumps meningitis pathogenesis requires further elucidation.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the dynamics of hemolytic activity of complement (CH50) and the prevalence of circulating immune complexes (CIC) in children diagnosed with mumps meningitis.
    • To characterize the molecular weight and antibody classes within detected immune complexes.

    Main Methods:

    • Serum samples were collected from children with mumps meningitis at multiple time points.
    • Hemolytic complement activity (CH50) was measured using standard assays.
    • Circulating immune complexes (CIC) were detected and quantified; high concentration CIC samples were analyzed for molecular weight using sepharose 6B gel filtration and antibody classes (IgG, IgA, IgM) via Elisa.

    Main Results:

    • A significant decrease in CH50 levels was observed in 60% of samples during the acute phase (1-6 days), with improvement by the third examination (12-14 months).
    • CIC were present in 21% of samples during the acute phase, decreasing to 14% by the third examination.
    • Analysis of a high CIC sample revealed immune complexes with molecular weights of 2.5 X 10(6) and 5.0 X 10(5) daltons, containing anti-mumps antibodies across IgG, IgA, and IgM classes.

    Conclusions:

    • Mumps meningitis is associated with transient complement system activation and the formation of circulating immune complexes.
    • The presence and characteristics of CIC suggest their involvement in the inflammatory process of mumps meningitis.
    • Immune complexes in mumps meningitis contain specific anti-mumps antibodies, highlighting the adaptive immune response.

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