Binding of immune complexes to Atlantic salmon peripheral blood leucocytes

The ability of peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) of Atlantic salmon to bind immune complexes in an antibody-dependent fashion was investigated. Immune complexes were labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate and binding of these complexes to isolated PBL was determined by flow cytometry. The data show that a high proportion (up to 65%) of PBL were capable of binding immune complexes, and this binding did not occur when immune serum was replaced with normal serum. The presence of fresh normal serum inhibited or abrogated immune complex-binding of PBL. This is the first report of high levels of immune complex receptors on leucocytes in fish, and the dependence of complex binding on the presence of antibody suggests that these receptors may be similar to Fc receptors which are widely distributed on immunocytes of mammals.