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Haptoglobins are Antibody-like Proteins
Short Communication Z. Immun.-Forsch. vol. 154, pp. 407-408 (1978) Institut fitr gerichtliche Medizin del' Humboldt-Universitat Berlin und Akademie del' vVissenschaften del' DDR, Forschlllgszentrum fUr Molekularbiologie llld Medizin. Zcntralinstitut fUr Mikrobiologie und experimentelle Therapie, Jena, DDR
Haptoglobins are Antibody-like Proteins!) O.
PROKOP
and W.
KOHLER
Received January 31, 1978 . Accepted April 13, 1978
We postulated on page 461 of our paper (1) that adding goat antihaptoglobin antibodies to human serum might result in a strong diminution of the haptoglobin level. In the starch gel electrophoresis the haptoglobin bands appeared to be only very weak. However, the titer against streptococci was obviously not changed. Now, we have evidence to support the second version of our explanation (1) which stated that the formation of the Hp-anti-Hp-complex in our test apparently does not harm the agglutination activity. The first version of our explanation that haptoglobin of the types Hp 2-2 and Hp 2-1 is not the agglutinator, turned out to be a mistake. In the meantime we have been able to demonstrate the existence of a dimorphism regarding haptoglobins in the sera of sheep and goat (2). Two different types could be observed: Hp 2-2-like and ahaptoglo binaemia. We observed in analogy to humans (3) that all sera of sheep and goat of type Hp 2-2-like showed strong antibody activity to antigen T 4-bearing streptococci. On the other hand, sera of the ahaptoglobinaemic type reacted very weakly to or were inactive versus streptococci. When mixing a human serum with an anti-human haptoglobin serum of sheep, the resulting titer for streptococci depends on the type of sheep serum used in the test. All our tests performed up to now are in agreement with the hypothesis of an antibody character or at least of an antibody-like character of haptoglobins. 1) Additional remarks to O. PROKOP and VV. KOHLER, 1977. Untersuchlllgen zu den Beziehungen zwischen Haptoglobintyp und Streptokokken del' Gruppe G. Relationship between Haptoglobin Types and Group G Streptococci. Z. Immlll.-Forsch. 153: 457--465.
408 . O. PROKOP and W. KOHLER
a) Purified haptoglobin, produced by Behring-Werke, Marburg, showed an average titer of 1: 800 against streptococci mentioned above (4). b) A haptoglobin preparation for clinical purposes (distributed by MEDAC Pharmaceuticals, Hamburg) produced in Japan showed a titer of 1 : 100,000 for streptococci (2). With regard to further results (not yet published) which were obtained by investigations with different animals, we can summarize and conclude: 1. Haptoglobins in human sera of the types Hp 2-2 or Hp 2-1 and haptoglobins of the Hp 2-2-like type in animals are complete agglutinins (< saline antibodies») for streptococci carrying T 4antigen.
2. Haptoglobins in human sera of the type Hp 1-1 and of type Hp 1-1like in animals do not agglutinate the streptococci. But a behaviour resembling « blocking antibodies» is evident. Haptoglobins may therefore be a new model for complete and ineomplete antibodies. Furthermore, addition of hemoglobin to the haptoglobin containing sera does not change the agglutinating activity of the haptoglobin for the streptococci. References 1. PROKOP, O. und W. KOHLER. 1977. Untersuchungen zu den Beziehungen zwischen Haptoglobintyp und Streptokokken del' Gruppe G. Relationship between Haptoglobin Types and Group G Streptococci. Z. Immun.-Forsch. 153: 457-465. 2. KOHLER, W., O. PROKOP, E. GUNTHER und TH. HIEPE. 1978. Befunde bei Ziegen und Schafen beweisen die antikol'perahnliche Funktion del' Haptoglobine. Mh. Vet.-Med. (in press). 3. PROKOP, O. und W. KOHLER. 1977. Nachweis einer Agglutininnatur del' Haptoglobine gegen Streptokokken mit T4·Antigen durch Untersuehung von Nabelschnul'seren. Zbl. Gynak. 99: 1409. 4. KOHLER, vV., O. PROKOP und G. UHLENBRUCK. 1977. Zur Agglutinin-Natur del' menschlichen Haptoglobine gegentiber Streptokokken mit dem T 4-Antigen. Naturwissenschaften. 64: 538. Prof. Dr. O. PROKOP, Institut fUr Gerichtliche Medizin del' Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Hannoversche StraBe 6, DDR-104 Berlin.
Haptoglobins are Antibody-like Proteins!) O.
PROKOP
and W.
KOHLER
Received January 31, 1978 . Accepted April 13, 1978
We postulated on page 461 of our paper (1) that adding goat antihaptoglobin antibodies to human serum might result in a strong diminution of the haptoglobin level. In the starch gel electrophoresis the haptoglobin bands appeared to be only very weak. However, the titer against streptococci was obviously not changed. Now, we have evidence to support the second version of our explanation (1) which stated that the formation of the Hp-anti-Hp-complex in our test apparently does not harm the agglutination activity. The first version of our explanation that haptoglobin of the types Hp 2-2 and Hp 2-1 is not the agglutinator, turned out to be a mistake. In the meantime we have been able to demonstrate the existence of a dimorphism regarding haptoglobins in the sera of sheep and goat (2). Two different types could be observed: Hp 2-2-like and ahaptoglo binaemia. We observed in analogy to humans (3) that all sera of sheep and goat of type Hp 2-2-like showed strong antibody activity to antigen T 4-bearing streptococci. On the other hand, sera of the ahaptoglobinaemic type reacted very weakly to or were inactive versus streptococci. When mixing a human serum with an anti-human haptoglobin serum of sheep, the resulting titer for streptococci depends on the type of sheep serum used in the test. All our tests performed up to now are in agreement with the hypothesis of an antibody character or at least of an antibody-like character of haptoglobins. 1) Additional remarks to O. PROKOP and VV. KOHLER, 1977. Untersuchlllgen zu den Beziehungen zwischen Haptoglobintyp und Streptokokken del' Gruppe G. Relationship between Haptoglobin Types and Group G Streptococci. Z. Immlll.-Forsch. 153: 457--465.
408 . O. PROKOP and W. KOHLER
a) Purified haptoglobin, produced by Behring-Werke, Marburg, showed an average titer of 1: 800 against streptococci mentioned above (4). b) A haptoglobin preparation for clinical purposes (distributed by MEDAC Pharmaceuticals, Hamburg) produced in Japan showed a titer of 1 : 100,000 for streptococci (2). With regard to further results (not yet published) which were obtained by investigations with different animals, we can summarize and conclude: 1. Haptoglobins in human sera of the types Hp 2-2 or Hp 2-1 and haptoglobins of the Hp 2-2-like type in animals are complete agglutinins (< saline antibodies») for streptococci carrying T 4antigen.
2. Haptoglobins in human sera of the type Hp 1-1 and of type Hp 1-1like in animals do not agglutinate the streptococci. But a behaviour resembling « blocking antibodies» is evident. Haptoglobins may therefore be a new model for complete and ineomplete antibodies. Furthermore, addition of hemoglobin to the haptoglobin containing sera does not change the agglutinating activity of the haptoglobin for the streptococci. References 1. PROKOP, O. und W. KOHLER. 1977. Untersuchungen zu den Beziehungen zwischen Haptoglobintyp und Streptokokken del' Gruppe G. Relationship between Haptoglobin Types and Group G Streptococci. Z. Immun.-Forsch. 153: 457-465. 2. KOHLER, W., O. PROKOP, E. GUNTHER und TH. HIEPE. 1978. Befunde bei Ziegen und Schafen beweisen die antikol'perahnliche Funktion del' Haptoglobine. Mh. Vet.-Med. (in press). 3. PROKOP, O. und W. KOHLER. 1977. Nachweis einer Agglutininnatur del' Haptoglobine gegen Streptokokken mit T4·Antigen durch Untersuehung von Nabelschnul'seren. Zbl. Gynak. 99: 1409. 4. KOHLER, vV., O. PROKOP und G. UHLENBRUCK. 1977. Zur Agglutinin-Natur del' menschlichen Haptoglobine gegentiber Streptokokken mit dem T 4-Antigen. Naturwissenschaften. 64: 538. Prof. Dr. O. PROKOP, Institut fUr Gerichtliche Medizin del' Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Hannoversche StraBe 6, DDR-104 Berlin.