[Methods of in vitro assessment of the degree of complement activation by the classical pathway]

A sensitive a simple method is proposed for assessing the complement activation degree by the monospecific classical route. The alternative pathway of the complement activation proposed by Adachi et al. in 1990 is taken account of. The specific features of the proposed method are 1) use of commercial dry complement of guinea pigs with the regulatory protein defect needed for the alternative pathway of complement activation; 2) absence of EGTA in GVB and presence of Ca2+; 3) use of sensitized sheep red blood cells as the target cells. These conditions prevent the alternative pathway of complement activation and permit only the classical pathway. Effects of some drugs on the classical pathway of complement activation by the new method and on Adachi's alternative method are investigated. Estradurin and fosfestrol affect the complement activation by both pathways.