Antibodies to actin in autoimmune haemolytic anaemia

Background  

In autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA), autoreactive antibodies directed against red blood cells are up-regulated, leading to erythrocyte death. Mycoplasma suis infections in pigs induce AIHA of both the warm and cold types. The aim of this study was to identify the target autoantigens of warm autoreactive IgG antibodies. Sera from experimentally M. suis-infected pigs were screened for autoreactivity.     

Kinetics of haemolytic activity in Proteus strains.

Proteus species produces toxins and constitutes a causative agent of some chronic and recurrent infections. For the study of haemolytic activity and the production and inhibition kinetics, a total of 140 local isolates were diagnosed and examined by the general biochemical methods, and their ability of haemolysis were tested by both direct and indirect methods utilizing the enrichment procedure for all strains. Two antibiotics, erythromycin and keflex (cephalexin), were tested for the study of haemolysis inhibition and its kinetisc. Rof further study, examples of Proteus species were selected; the new approach was based on mixing procedure between P. aeruginosa (also pyocyanine) and Proteus species for inhibition of haemolytic activity. Spectrophotometric analysis were used parallel to these studies to support quantitatively the observed results as all samples show an absorption centre at 542 +/- 1 nm. Results of such analysis of haemolytic activity and inhibition kinetics are presented.     

Studies on a haemolytic substance in Yersinia enterocolitica

Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O3 was found to produce a haemolytic substance which could be released from the bacterial cells by sonic disintegration. The substance was non-dialysable, thermolabile, antigenic, and sensitive to trypsin. Chromatographic studies indicated a high molecular weight. Erythrocytes from different mammalian species differed in sensitivity to the haemolytic substance. Y. enterocolitica serotypes O8 and O9 produced no haemolytic substance.