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A New Approach to the Diagnosis of Active Rh o (D) Immunization in Passively Immunized Pregnant Women
Author(s) -
Foung Steven K. H.,
Perkins Susan,
McCallum W. Desmond,
Tom Shirley,
Engleman Edgar G.,
Grumet F. Carl
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
vox sanguinis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0410
pISSN - 0042-9007
DOI - 10.1111/j.1423-0410.1985.tb00794.x
Subject(s) - immunization , antibody , medicine , active immunization , pregnancy , immunology , in vitro , gamma globulin , hemolytic disease of the newborn (abo) , gestation , virology , fetus , biology , biochemistry , genetics
. An assay has been developed to distinguish active from passive Rh o (D) immunization in a patient who had recently received hyperimmune anti‐Rh o (D) immunoglobulin therapy. Isolated peripheral B lymphocytes from a pregnant woman at 32 weeks gestation were co‐cultured with Epstein‐Barr virus in a liquid growth medium. After 7 days, anti‐Rh o (D) antibodies produced in vitro by the transformed lymphocytes were detected in culture supernatants, thereby proving active immunization and indicating the potential of hemolytic disease of the newborn in the current pregnancy. This assay was also performed with peripheral B lymphocytes from three groups of individuals: mothers known to be Rh o (D) immunized and who recently delivered Rh‐positive infants, women with longstanding Rh o (D) immunization, and women who were treated with anti‐Rh o (D) globulin. In the first group, anti‐Rh o (D) antibodies were again detected after in vitro viral stimulation. In the latter two groups, essentially no anti‐Rh o (D) activity was detected.