Abnormal in vitro immunoglobulin synthesis in surgical patients
R. P. Schneider, N. V. Christou and C. Nohr
Department of Surgery, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Blood mononuclear cells from surgical patients produce large amounts of IgG
in vitro. This synthesis is not increased by stimulation with pokeweed
mitogen. To determine if this abnormal pattern of IgG synthesis extended to
other immunoglobulin classes, surgical patients were stratified according
to delayed-type hypersensitivity responses as reactive or anergic. Healthy
personnel were studied as controls. Mononuclear cells were cultured without
or with pokeweed mitogen, and IgG, IgM, and IgA were measured in
supernatants. Unstimulated IgG and IgA synthesis was increased in surgical
patients, especially in those with reduced delayed-type hypersensitivity
responses. Synthesis of IgM was normal or low. With mitogen stimulation,
IgG synthesis was increased in control and reactive subjects, but not in
anergic subjects. For IgM, mitogen stimulation increased synthesis to a
less than normal level in all patients. For IgA, synthesis was increased in
all groups.