The serum acute phase reactants, C-reactive protein (CRP) and orosomucoid, rose significantly within 24 to 48 hours of presentation in infants with definite necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) compared with the levels in infants with symptoms who tolerated early reintroduction of enteral feeds. A serum CRP value greater than 10 mg/l within 48 hours identified infants with definite NEC with a 92% sensitivity and an 81% specificity. Serum CRP values remained elevated at 7 to 10 days in 4 infants with late septicaemia and in 4 of 5 infants with abscess or early stricture requiring surgery. Serum acute phase reactants are a potentially valuable adjunct to clinical assessment in the management of infants with suspected NEC.

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Rabbit antiserum to a unique component of an Ag-binding Ts-factor was generated by repeated immunization with purified 30-kDa protein isolated from Fd11 Ts factor (11). This antiserum (anti-p30) was shown to recognize cell surface determinants expressed on the Ts hybridomas Fd11 and A10 but not the fusion partner BW5147. Furthermore, this antiserum was shown to bind to approximately 4% of thymocytes and 10% of nylon wool-purified splenic T cells from all strains of mice tested. Sorting nylon wool-purified T cells from DBA/2 mice for the CD4+ and CD8+ subsets revealed both populations contained cells that bound anti-p30. In addition, when CD4-8- thymocytes were examined for anti-p30 labeling, it was found that about 30% of this enriched population also expressed p30 molecules. In a functional study, anti-p30 was able to neutralize the suppressive effects of Fd11 on a specific assay for in vitro antibody synthesis against ferredoxin.