Phagocytosis of Periodate-Treated and Virus-Coated Red Blood Cells By White Blood Cells in vitro.

Abstract

Human white blood cells do not ingest in vitro red blood cells with reversibly adsorbed influenza virus in presence of compatible serum, nor do they phagocytize red cells on which viral receptors had been previously destroyed. When, however, influenza virus is adsorbed irreversibly onto periodate-treated red cells, marked erythrophagocytosis occurs in presence of periodate-agglutinin deficient serum. Periodate-treated red cells without adsorbed virus are not phagocytized. The mechanism of selective erythrophagocytosis is discussed.