Production of Monospecific Rabbit Antihuman Eosinophil Serums and Demonstration of a Blocking Phenomenon

Abstract

Eosinophilia is the hallmark of helminthic, allergic and some neoplastic conditions, but the role of the eosinophil remains largely unknown. To elucidate eosinophilic function specific antiserums were prepared with methods developed to produce monospecific antimouse eosinophil serum. Purified suspensions of eosinophils from a patient with Hodgkin's disease and another with leukemia when injected into rabbits resulted in antieosinophil serums containing high titers of agglutinating and cytotoxic antibodies to eosinophils. Both antiserums were monospecific for eosinophils, having no cross-reactivity with neutrophils. Serum from the eosinophil donor with Hodgkin's disease contained immunoglobulins that were cytotoxic to eosinophils and blocked the effect of the antiserum prepared from his own cells. Monospecific antihuman eosinophil serum may be useful to study pathologic states associated with eosinophilia. (N Engl J Med 290: 417–420, 1974)