Opsonic activity in serum from septic infants treated with intravenous immunoglobulin.

Abstract

SUMMARY Thirteen infants with staphylococcal sepsis and reduced opsonic activity received infusions of acid treated immunoglobulin together with antibiotics. Opsonic activity (using Staphylococcus aureus (type 42D) as the test organism), haemolytic activity of complement, and concentrations of complement C3 and IgG were measured in serum prepared before and after three days of treatment with immunoglobulin at a dose of 250-300 mg/kg/day. There was increased ingestion of S aureus by normal human granulocytes in the presence of fresh serum prepared after infusion of immunoglobulin and significantly increased opsonic activity of heat inactivated serum after treatment with immunoglobulin. The haemolytic activity of complement and concentrations of complement C3 were not influenced, and serum concentrations of IgG increased as the result of receiving a total of 800-900 mg/kg immunoglobulin over a period of three days. This study shows that administration of acid treated IgG to septic infants leads to functionally increased opsonisation.

Staphylococcal Superantigen-Like Protein 3 Binds to the Toll-Like Receptor 2 Extracellular Domain and Inhibits Cytokine Production Induced by Staphylococcus aureus, Cell Wall Component, or Lipopeptides in Murine Macrophages

“…The importance of complement and immunoglobulin G (IgG) for recognition and clearance of S. aureus by immune cells has been well demonstrated in a number of studies. Deficiency of complement C3 is associated with increased susceptibility to infection by S. aureus (10), and increased antistaphylococcal antibodies facilitate phagocytosis of S. aureus by neutrophils (22).…”

Serum Opsonization Capacity, Phagocytosis, and Oxidative Burst Activity in Neonatal Foals in the Intensive Care Unit

“…In another study, intravenous IgG administration after heat-inactivated serum treatment increased opsonization capacity with no concomitant differences in complement hemolytic activity and complement C3 concentrations. 27 Furthermore, Mancilla-Ramirez et al 28 demonstrated that hospitalization of human neonates with sepsis treated by intravenous IgG was shorter than that of neonates with sepsis that was not treated with immunoglobulins. The sera of treated neonates had greater opsonization and bacteriostatic activity than did that of control neonates.…”