ELIMINATION OF AN ARTIFICIAL IMMUNE-COMPLEX BY PLASMAPHERESIS IN RABBITS

The behaviour of an artificial immune complex was investigated in 15 r abbits. The immune complex was labelled with iodine-125 (I-125). The a dvantage was that the immune complex could not be metabolized without being eliminated by the kidney. This artificial immune complex was inj ected in different dosages (0.8 mug-40 mug/rabbit) on 2 consecutive da ys. One group (n = 9) was treated with plasmapheresis: the other (n = 6) was a control group that did not undergo plasmapheresis. A miniatur ized plasmapheresis system eliminated the immune complex very effectiv ely. The increasing concentration of the immune complex in the blood b efore the next plasmapheresis treatment was probably an expression of mobilization of the immune complex from different organs. The animals of the plasmapheresis group were in better condition than the control group.