T. Ohshima et al., DEFECTIVE LEUKOCYTE FUNCTION-RELATED CRYOPRECIPITABLE PROTEIN IN CRYOGLOBULINEMIA, Journal of clinical apheresis, 9(4), 1994, pp. 210-215
Cryoprecipitable proteins (CPP), purified from plasmas removed during
plasmapheresis treatment of patients with type II and type III cryoglo
bulinemia (CG), were evaluated in vitro for their effect on normal leu
kocyte function. CPP reduced normal mononuclear cell blastogenesis and
polymorphonuclear cell phagocytosis responses in a dose-dependent fas
hion. At the maximum concentration studied, 5,000 mug/ml, CPP were sho
wn to suppress normal blastogenesis and phagocytosis 30-60% and 50-80%
below the albumin control, respectively. A 50% suppression of normal
blastogenesis and phagocytosis was observed at 500 mug/ml for type III
CPP. Leukocyte functions in CG patients were evaluated and compared t
o those of healthy controls. Blastogenesis and phagocytosis were signi
ficantly inhibited in CG patients. These studies suggest that CG patie
nts have defective leukocyte function and that CPP have suppressive ef
fects on normal leukocyte function. Our studies suggest that removal o
f CPP in CG patients may prove beneficial not only in reducing typical
symptoms of CG but also in reducing the potencial inhibitory effects
of CPP on leukocyte function. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.