Immunoglobulins, complement and lysozyme in leg lymph of normal men

Abstract

Concentration of immunoglobulins G, A, and M, total complement haemolytic activity (CH50), complement component proteins' level and lysozyme concentration were measured in peripheral lymph collected from nine legs of five normal men for 5 consecutive days. Studies were carried out each day between 13.00 and 14.00 hours on men in a horizontal resting position, following 3 h of walking. Low values were found for all proteins. The mean lymph/serum ratio for total protein was 0.25±0.04 (SE), for IgG 0.169±0.047 (SE), IgA 0.157±0.059 (SE), IgM 0.074±0.018 (SE). CH50 had a L/S ratio of 0.16±0.05 (SE). The L/S ratio C1q protein was 0.122±0.034, C1s was 0.213±0.043 (SE), C4 was 0.218±0.081, C3c was 0.138±0.052 (SE), C9 was 0.238±0.047 (SE). The L/S ratios for C1s INA was 0.165±0.04 (SE) and C3PA was 0.189±0.08. No anticomplementary activity was found in the lymph. Concentration of lymph protein components was inversely proportional to their molecular weight, which is consistent with the capillary sieving mechanism.