Occurrence of Granulocyte Cytotoxins and Agglutinins

Abstract

Granulocyte cytotoxic activity in sera from over 257 patients was shown to be distinct from HL-A lymphocytotoxic activity. Granulocyte cytotoxins occur in approximately 25 per cent of sera from patients having leukemia, 45 per cent with aplastic anemia, 22 per cent with kidney disease on hemodialysis, and 19 per cent of pregnant women. By testing sera on the same panel of cells, the granulocyte cytotoxic activity was shown not to be associated with granulocyte agglutination activity or lymphocytotoxic activity. It is likely that granulocyte cytotoxins and granulocyte agglutinins will be useful in transfusion and bone marrow transplantation as a separate tool from the more widely used lymphocyte cytotoxicity reaction.