Depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK

BACKGROUND

The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on mental health is still being unravelled. It is important to identify which individuals are at greatest risk of worsening symptoms. This study aimed to examine changes in depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms using prospective and retrospective symptom change assessments, and to find and examine the effect of key risk factors.

METHOD

Online questionnaires were administered to 34 465 individuals (aged 16 years or above) in April/May 2020 in the UK, recruited from existing cohorts or via social media. Around one-third (n = 12 718) of included participants had prior diagnoses of depression or anxiety and had completed pre-pandemic mental health assessments (between September 2018 and February 2020), allowing prospective investigation of symptom change.

RESULTS

Prospective symptom analyses showed small decreases in depression (PHQ-9: -0.43 points) and anxiety [generalised anxiety disorder scale - 7 items (GAD)-7: -0.33 points] and increases in PTSD (PCL-6: 0.22 points). Conversely, retrospective symptom analyses demonstrated significant large increases (PHQ-9: 2.40; GAD-7 = 1.97), with 55% reported worsening mental health since the beginning of the pandemic on a global change rating. Across both prospective and retrospective measures of symptom change, worsening depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms were associated with prior mental health diagnoses, female gender, young age and unemployed/student status.

CONCLUSIONS

We highlight the effect of prior mental health diagnoses on worsening mental health during the pandemic and confirm previously reported sociodemographic risk factors. Discrepancies between prospective and retrospective measures of changes in mental health may be related to recall bias-related underestimation of prior symptom severity.

Generation and Characterization of Torudokimab (LY3375880): A Monoclonal Antibody That Neutralizes Interleukin-33

Background

Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is an alarmin that is released following cellular damage, mechanical injury, or necrosis. It is a member of the IL-1 family and binds to a heterodimer receptor consisting of ST2 and IL-1RAP to induce the production of a wide range of cellular mediators, including the type 2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13. This relationship has led to the hypothesis that the IL-33/ST2 pathway is a driver of allergic disease and inhibition of the IL-33 and ST2 association could have therapeutic benefit.

Methods

In this paper, we describe the selection of a phage antibody through the ability to bind human IL-33 and block IL-33/ST2 interaction. This hit antibody was then affinity matured by site-directed mutagenesis of the antibody complementarity-determining regions (CDRs). Further characterization of a fully human monoclonal antibody (mAb), torudokimab (LY3375880) included demonstration of human IL-33 neutralization activity in vitro with an NFκB reporter assay and IL-33 induced mast cell cytokine secretion assay, followed by an in vivo IL-33-induced pharmacodynamic inhibition assay in mice that used IL-5 production as the endpoint.

Results

Torudokimab is highly specific to IL-33 and does not bind any of the other IL-1 family members. Furthermore, torudokimab binds human and cynomolgus monkey IL-33 with higher affinity than the binding affinity of IL-33 to ST2, but does not bind mouse, rat, or rabbit IL-33. Torudokimab’s half-life in cynomolgous monkey projects monthly dosing in the clinic.

Conclusion

Due to torudokimab’s high affinity, its ability to completely neutralize IL-33 activity in vitro and in vivo, and the observed cynomolgus monkey pharmacokinetic properties, this molecule was selected for clinical development.

A modified tibial compression test for the detection of meniscal injury in dogs

OBJECTIVE

To assess diagnostic efficacy of a modified tibial compression test in predicting medial meniscal injury in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament failure.

METHODS

Dogs admitted for surgical stabilisation of stifles with cranial cruciate ligament failure were examined by five preoperative physical tests to assess medial meniscal injury. Results of each physical test were compared with findings at arthrotomy and used to calculate sensitivities, specificities, positive and negative predictive values.

RESULTS

None of the physical tests were accurate in reflecting meniscal integrity for dogs with cranial cruciate failure. Out of the five tests, the modified tibial compression test exhibited the highest concordance and sensitivity for the detection of medial meniscal tears. A palpable click during the modified tibial compression test had a sensitivity and specificity up to 63 and 77%, respectively, for the detection of medial meniscal lesions. Concordance values were up to 40% for the modified tibial compression test, followed by the range of motion test (up to 25%), while all other physical tests had concordance values below 10%.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Physical tests are highly available, affordable and can be easily performed, but their efficacy in diagnosing medical meniscal injury is low. Meniscal clicks associated with meniscal tears were more frequently elicited during the modified tibial compression test when compared with other traditional tests.

Design of Signal Windows in High Throughput Screening Assays for Drug Discovery

High Throughput Screening (HTS) assays are used to rapidly identify promising drug candidates or leads from hundreds of thousands of compounds. Hence, it is important that the assay should be designed to discriminate responses from the active and inactive compounds and the background noise. We introduce the idea of a signal window which provides a degree of separation between signals. This allows one to correctly identify new molecular entities with desired level of activity (called "hits") in the presence of variability. The statistical criteria for setting and calculating signal windows are presented along with illustrative examples. Results show that the ideal signal window should be 2 standard deviations (SD) of the largest signal in screening assays, although a 1 SD window size is the minimum acceptable limit. When signal windows are set below 2 SD, the probability of missing "hits" increases significantly.

Cortical event-related potentials in preclinical familial Alzheimer disease

OBJECTIVE

To define changes in cortical function in persons inheriting familial Alzheimer disease (FAD) mutations before the onset of cognitive decline.

METHODS

Twenty-six subjects with a family history of FAD were divided into 2 subgroups according to genotype (FAD mutation carriers, n = 15; FAD noncarriers, n = 11). Subjects were given standardized tests of cognitive function and the Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR). Sensory (P50, N100, P200) and cognitive (N200, P300) event-related potentials were recorded during an auditory discrimination task. Amplitudes and latencies of cortical potentials were compared among FAD mutation carriers and noncarriers.

RESULTS

FAD mutation carriers and noncarriers did not significantly differ in age or on measures of cognitive function, but FAD carriers had a greater incidence of 0.5 CDR scores (1/10 noncarriers, 5/15 carriers). Relative to noncarriers, FAD mutation carriers had significantly longer latencies of the N100, P200, N200, and P300 components, and smaller slow wave amplitudes. Subanalyses of subjects having CDR scores of 0.0 also showed latency increases in FAD mutation carriers.

CONCLUSIONS

Auditory sensory and cognitive cortical potentials in persons with familial Alzheimer disease (FAD) mutations are abnormal approximately 10 years before dementia will be manifest. Longer event-related potential latencies suggest slowing of cortical information processing in FAD mutation carriers.

Search for the rare decay K(L)-->pi(0)e(+)e(-)

The KTeV/E799 experiment at Fermilab has searched for the rare kaon decay K(L)-->pi(0)e(+)e(-). This mode is expected to have a significant CP violating component. The measurement of its branching ratio could support the standard model or could indicate the existence of new physics. This Letter reports new results from the 1999-2000 data set. One event is observed with an expected background at 0.99+/-0.35 events. We set a limit on the branching ratio of 3.5x10(-10) at the 90% confidence level. Combining with the previous result based on the data set taken in 1997 yields the final KTeV result: BR(K(L)-->pi(0)e(+)e(-))<2.8x10(-10) at 90% C.L.

Measurements of the Decay KL-->e+ e- mu+ mu-

The KTeV experiment at Fermilab has isolated a total of 132 events from the rare decay K(L)-->e+ e- mu+ mu-, with an estimated background of 0.8 events. The branching ratio of this mode is determined to be [2.69+/-0.24(stat)+/-0.12(syst)]x10(-9), with a radiative cutoff of M(2)(ee mu mu)/M(2)(K)>0.95. The first measurement using this mode of the parameter alpha from the D'Ambrosio-Isidori-Portolès (DIP) model of the K(L)gamma*gamma* vertex yields a result of -1.59+/-0.37, consistent with values obtained from other decay modes. Because of the limited statistics, no sensitivity is found to the DIP parameter beta. We use this decay mode to set limits on CP and lepton violation.

Search for the KL-->pi 0 pi 0 e+e- decay in the KTeV experiment

The recent discovery of a large CP violating asymmetry in KL-->pi+pi-e+e- mode has prompted us to seach for the associated KL-->pi 0 pi 0 e+e- decay mode in the KTeV-E799 experiment at Fermilab. In 2.7 x 10(11) K(L) decays, one candidate event has been observed with an expected background of 0.3 event, resulting in an upper limit for the KL-->pi 0 pi 0 e+e- branching ratio of 6.6 x 10(-9) at the 90% C.L.

Radiative decay width measurements of neutral kaon excitations using the primakoff effect

We use K(L)'s in the 100-200 GeV energy range to produce 147 candidate events of the axial vector pair K1(1270)-K1(1400) in the nuclear Coulomb field of a Pb target and determine the radiative widths Gamma(K1(1400)-->K0+gamma)=280.8+/-23.2(stat)+/-40.4(syst) keV and Gamma(K1(1270)-->K0+gamma)=73.2+/-6.1(stat)+/-28.3(syst) keV. These first measurements appear to be lower than the quark-model predictions. We also place upper limits on the radiative widths for K(*)(1410) and K(*)(2)(1430) and find that the latter is vanishingly small in accord with SU(3) invariance in the naive quark model.

Measurement of the K(L) charge asymmetry

We present a measurement of the charge asymmetry delta(L) in the mode K(L)-->pi(+/-)e(-/+)nu based on 298 x 10(6) analyzed decays. We measure a value of delta(L) = [3322+/-58(stat)+/-47(syst)]x10(-6), in good agreement with previous measurements and 2.4 times more precise than the current best published result. The result is used to place more stringent limits on CPT and DeltaS = DeltaQ violation in the neutral kaon system.

First measurement of form factors of the decay Xi(0) --> Sigma(+)e(-)nu macro(e)

We present the first measurement of the form factor ratios g(1)/f(1) (direct axial vector to vector), g(2)/f(1) (second class current), and f(2)/f(1) (weak magnetism) for the decay Xi(0)-->Sigma(+)e(-)nu macro(e) using the KTeV (E799) beam line and detector at Fermilab. From the Sigma(+) polarization measured with the decay Sigma(+)-->p pi(0) and the e(-)-nu; correlation, we measure g(1)/f(1) to be 1.32+/-(0.21)(0.17)(stat)+/-0.05(syst), assuming the SU(3)(f) (flavor) values for g(2)/f(1) and f(2)/f(1). Our results are all consistent with exact SU(3)(f) symmetry.

Branching ratio measurement of the decay K(L) --> e(+)e(-)mu(+)mu(-)

We have collected a 43 event sample of the decay K(L)-->e(+)e(-)mu(+)mu(-) with negligible backgrounds and measured its branching ratio to be (2.62+/-0.40+/-0.17)x10(-9). We see no evidence for CP violation in this decay. In addition, we set the 90% confidence upper limit on the combined branching ratios for the lepton flavor violating decays K(L)-->e(+/-)e(+/-)mu(-/+)mu(-/+) at B(K(L)-->e(+/-)e(+/-)mu(-/+)mu(-/+))< or =1.23x10(-10), assuming a uniform phase space distribution.

Measurement of the branching ratio and form factor of K(L)-->mu(+)mu(-)gamma

We report on the analysis of the rare decay K(L)-->mu(+)mu(-)gamma the 1997 data from the KTeV experiment at Fermilab. A total of 9327 candidate events are observed with 2.4% background, representing a factor of 40 increase in statistics over the current world sample. We find that B(K(L)-->mu(+)mu(-)gamma) = (3.62 +/- 0.04(stat) +/- 0.08(syst)) x 10(-7). The form factor parameter alpha(K*) is measured to be alpha(K*) = -0.160(+0.026)(-0.028). In addition, we make the first measurement of the parameter alpha from the D'Ambrosio-Isidori-Portolés form factor, finding alpha = -1.54 +/- 0.10. In that model, this alpha measurement limits the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa parameter rho>-0.2.

Measurements of the rare decay K(L) --> e(+)e(-)e(+)e(-)

We observe 441 K(L)-->e(+)e(-)e(+)e(-) candidate events with a background of 4.2 events and measure B(K(L)-->e(+)e(-)e(+)e(-)) = [3.72+/-0.18(stat)+/-0.23(syst)]x10(-8) in the KTeV/E799II experiment at Fermilab. Using the distribution of the angle between the planes of the e(+)e(-) pairs, we measure the CP parameters beta(CP) = -0.23+/-0.09(stat)+/-0.02(syst) and gamma(CP) = -0.09+/-0.09(stat)+/-0.02(syst). We also present the first detailed study of the e(+)e(-) invariant mass spectrum in this decay mode.

Measurement of the branching ratio and asymmetry of the decay Xi degrees -->Sigma degrees gamma

We have studied the rare weak radiative hyperon decay Xi degrees -->Sigma degrees gamma in the KTeV experiment at Fermilab. We have identified 4045 signal events over a background of 804 events. The dominant Xi degrees -->Lambdapi degrees decay, which was used for normalization, is the only important background source. An analysis of the acceptance of both modes yields a branching ratio of B(Xi degrees -->Sigma degrees gamma)/B(Xi degrees -->Lambdapi degrees ) = (3.34+/-0.05+/-0.09)x10(-3). By analyzing the final state decay distributions, we have also determined that the Sigma degrees emission asymmetry parameter for this decay is alpha(XiSigma) = -0.63+/-0.09.

Study of the K(0)(L) --> pi(+)pi(-)gamma Direct Emission Vertex

We have performed studies of the K(0)(L)-->pi(+)pi(-)gamma direct emission ( DE) and inner Bremsstrahlung ( IB) vertices, based on data collected by KTeV during the 1996 Fermilab fixed target run. We find a(1)/a(2) = -0.737+/-0.034 GeV2 for the DE form-factor parameter in the rho-propagator parametrization, and report on fits of the form factor to linear and quadratic functions as well. We concurrently measure gamma(K(0)(L)-->pi(+)pi(-)gamma,E(*)(gamma)>20 MeV)/gamma(K(0)(L)-->pi(+)pi(-)) = (20.8+/-0.3)x10(-3), and a K(0)(L)-->pi(+)pi(-)gamma DE/(DE+IB) branching ratio of 0.683+/-0.011.

Search for the decay KL --> pi(0)e+e-

We report on a search for the decay KL-->pi(0)e+e- carried out by the KTeV/E799 experiment at Fermilab. This decay is expected to have a significant CP violating contribution and the measurement of its branching ratio could support the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa mechanism for CP violation or could point to new physics. Two events were observed in the 1997 data with an expected background of 1.06+/-0.41 events, and we set an upper limit B(KL-->pi(0)e+e-)<5.1 x 10(-10) at the 90% confidence level.

Search for the decay K(L) --> pi(0)&mgr;(+)&mgr;(-)

We report on a search for the decay K(L)-->pi(0)&mgr;(+)&mgr;(-) carried out as a part of the KTeV experiment at Fermilab. This decay is expected to have a significant CP violating contribution and a direct measurement will either support the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa mechanism for CP violation or point to new physics. Two events were observed in the 1997 data with an expected background of 0.87+/-0.15 events, and we set an upper limit B(K(L)-->pi(0)&mgr;(+)&mgr;(-))<3. 8x10(-10) at the 90% confidence level.

Search for the weak decay of a lightly bound H0 dibaryon

We present results of a search for a new form of hadronic matter, a six-quark, dibaryon state called the H0, a state predicted to exist in several theoretical models. Analyzing data collected by experiment E799-II at Fermilab, we searched for the decay H0-->Lambdappi(-) and found no candidate events. We place an upper limit on [B(H0-->Lambdappi(-))dsigma(H)/dOmega]/(dsigma(Xi)/dOmega) and, in the context of published models, exclude the region of lightly bound mass states just below the LambdaLambda mass threshold, 2.194<M(H)<2.231 GeV/c(2), with lifetimes from approximately 5x10(-10) sec to approximately 1x10(-3) sec.

Observation of CP violation in K(L)-->pi(+)pi(-)e(+)e(-) decays

We report the first observation of a manifestly CP violating effect in the K(L)-->pi(+)pi(-)e(+)e(-) decay mode. A large asymmetry was observed in the distribution of these decays in the CP-odd and T-odd angle straight phi between the decay planes of the e(+)e(-) and pi(+)pi(-) pairs in the K(L) center of mass system. After acceptance corrections, the overall asymmetry is found to be [13.6+/-2. 5(stat)+/-1.2(syst)]%. This is the largest CP-violating effect yet observed when integrating over the entire phase space of a mode and the first such effect observed in an angular variable.

Establishing a computerized off-duty roster: let the computer take the strain

This article details aspects of implementing a computer-aided off-duty roster (the 'off-duty'). Fundamental problems with off-duty production are highlighted. The development of a computer-aided system in the Oxford A & E Department is described. This package has successfully been implemented and is currently overseen by a nurse with minimal computer experience. This simple spreadsheet implementation has reduced errors and greatly reduced the nursing time and effort required to produce the off-duty rota. It delivers clear, easily updatable rotas and makes audit easy and quick to produce and analyse.

Fractionated radioimmunotherapy of human colon carcinoma xenografts with 131I-labeled monoclonal antibody CC49

Radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) have been used for radioimmunotherapy (RIT) of human colon cancer xenografts in an attempt to develop promising clinical approaches to improving therapy success. Several strategies have been investigated to accomplish this task while decreasing toxicity. The CC49 antibody was selected for the present studies because of its relatively high affinity constant (16.2 x 10(9) M-1) for the high molecular weight TAG-72 mucinous antigen secreted by human colon cancer cells. In previous studies, when CC49 was labeled with 131I, it demonstrated a substantial therapeutic advantage over the lower affinity antibody (B72.3) reactive with TAG-72. One of the chief problems in achieving cures with RIT is that hematological toxicity limits the quantity of radionuclide that can be administered. In other studies of dose fractionation using athymic nude mice and 131I-labeled intact MoAbs reactive with human colon cancer xenografts, multiple administrations at approximately 1-week intervals were found to produce more prolonged tumor growth inhibition and less toxicity than single administrations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of 131I-labeled CC49 MoAb administered with short fractionation schedules against human colon cancer xenografts to determine the optimal treatment schedule, with the ultimate aim of applying this approach in clinical trials. The results reported here demonstrate that in an animal colon cancer xenograft model, RIT delivered in a fractionated schedule clearly presents a therapeutic advantage. For example, one administration of 600 microCi 131I-labeled CC49 to LS174T tumor-bearing mice was lethal to approximately 25% of mice but produced no tumor regressions. Fractionation of this dose to two administrations of 300 microCi 131I-labeled CC49 at a 3-day interval resulted in tumor regression in approximately 30% of the animals, accompanied by a similar 25% death rate. The administration of 300 microCi 131I-labeled CC49 at a 7-day interval resulted in 15% animal lethality, but no complete tumor regressions. When three administrations of 300 microCi 131I-labeled CC49 were given over a 1-week period on days 0, 3, and 7, tumor regressions occurred in approximately 40% of the animals, accompanied by a 30% death rate. Moreover, three administrations of 300 microCi 131I-labeled CC49 resulted in 20% tumor recurrence, whereas two administrations of 131I-labeled CC49 resulted in 60% tumor recurrence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Association of intestinal peptide transport with a protein related to the cadherin superfamily

The first step in oral absorption of many medically important peptide-based drugs is mediated by an intestinal proton-dependent peptide transporter. This transporter facilitates the oral absorption of beta-lactam antibiotics and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors from the intestine into enterocytes lining the luminal wall. A monoclonal antibody that blocked uptake of cephalexin was used to identify and clone a gene that encodes an approximately 92-kilodalton membrane protein that was associated with the acquisition of peptide transport activity by transport-deficient cells. The amino acid sequence deduced from the complementary DNA sequence of the cloned gene indicated that this transport-associated protein shares several conserved structural elements with the cadherin superfamily of calcium-dependent, cell-cell adhesion proteins.

From laboratory to clinic: the development of an immunological reagent

Access to a wide range of high quality and increasingly sophisticated reagents and equipment has underpinned the great surge of knowledge in basic immunology and the growing interest in clinical immunointervention. In this article, the first in an occasional series on immunological research and development in industry, Sue Bright and colleagues outline the key steps in a development programme to take a humanized monoclonal antibody into the clinic. The procedures involved in developing such reagents, particularly for clinical use, are long and require considerable ingenuity and scientific creativity.

Removal of T cells from bone marrow for transplantation: a monoclonal antilymphocyte antibody that fixes human complement

Graft-versus-host disease is one of the major problems in clinical bone marrow transplantation. Many experiments in animals have shown that it could be greatly reduced if mature T lymphocytes were removed from the donor marrow. Here we describe a new rat monoclonal antibody, CAMPATH 1, which is suitable for depleting lymphocytes from human marrow grafts. CAMPATH 1 is an IgM that fixes human complement. It binds to both T and B lymphocytes and some monocytes but not to other hemopoietic cells. When peripheral blood mononuclear cells were treated with CAMPATH 1 and complement, more than 99% of lymphocytes were killed and viable T cells could no longer be detected. Under these conditions, in vitro multipotential erythroid and myeloid colony-forming cells were unaffected. As well as being used for in vitro treatment of bone marrow to remove T cells, CAMPATH 1 could potentially be applied to other experimental and clinical situations where depletion of lymphoid cells is required, including serotherapy to achieve immunosuppression for organ transplants or to treat lymphocytic leukemias.

Studies on the role of HLA-DR in macrophage-T cell interactions

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the difficulties we have encountered in attempting to analyse the role of HLA-DR in the antigen-dependent co-operation between macrophages and T cells which leads to a T-cell proliferative response. We have adopted the two most commonly used approaches; attempted inhibition by anti-HLA-DR antisera and study of co-operation between cells of unrelated individuals, and have found both methods unsatisfactory. With the first method we found that anti-HLA antisera could inhibit proliferative responses in a non-specific manner. Both anti-HLA-A, B and anti-HLA-DR antisera could inhibit and this inhibition was largely Fc-dependent. Using pepsin-digested antisera we have no evidence for a unique role for HLA-DR in these proliferative responses. The second method, study of co-operation between cells of unrelated individuals, proved extremely difficult to analyse because of the background allogeneic reaction. Whether cells of two individuals appeared to co-operate to give an antigen-specific response depended on the number of cells used and the calculations applied to the data. However, it was clearly possible to demonstrate co-operation between DR different individuals.

Proliferative response of lymphocytes of normal individuals to wheat proteins (gliadins)

Preparations of gliadin, extracted from wheat gluten, were shown to stimulate a proliferative response by lymphocytes of normal donors. Not all donors responded to gliadin. In all but one case responder or non-responder status remained consistent on retesting. There was no association of ability to respond with HLA A or B type.

The detection of alloantibodies to subpopulations of human lymphocytes: an adaptation of the indirect anti-immunoglobulin rosetting reaction (IARR)

An indirect anti-immunoglobulin rosetting reaction (IARR) can be successfully used to detect alloantibodies to human lymphocytes. In this paper we describe an adaptation of the IARR which allows detection of alloantibodies to human lymphocyte subpopulations. Fluorescein labelled sheep red cells, as a T cell marker, are incorporated into the rosetting reactions and by looking for rosettes with two indicator cell types, sheep and ox, one can determine if the alloantibodies are reacting with T cells or non-T cells. This type of assay is more sensitive than a standard cytotoxic test and can detect non-cytotoxic antibodies. The results show that this rosetting assay with two types of indicator cell can be useful in the study of pregnancy anisera, particularly those that are thought to contain reactivity directed solely against non-T cells. These antisera probably recognise the human DR antigens which are thought to be equivalent to the rodent Ia antigens.

Hypoxic ventilatory responses during thiopentone sedation and anaesthesia in man

We have assessed the impact of thiopentone on the hypoxic ventilatory reflex, and on the responses to carbon dioxide and doxapram. Thiopentone sedation did not detectably alter any of these aspects of ventilatory control. Thiopentone anaesthesia reduced ventilation and the ventilatory responses to hypoxia, carbon dioxide and doxapram, all approximately in paralle. We conclude that, in contrast to halothane, thiopentone does not selectively reduce the ventilatory response to hypoxia. During light thiopentone anaesthesia, a reasonably brisk hypoxic response is present.

An indirect anti-immunoglobulin rosetting reaction to detect alloantibodies to human lymphocytes

A test is reported which detects alloantibody, absorbed onto the surface of human lymphocytes from multiparous antisera, by means of a red cell rosette assay. The red cells, trypsinised ox, are coupled with anti-immunoglobulin using chromic chloride. The antiglobulin used is rabbit anti-human IgG (Fc), chosen to avoid reaction with the surface immunoglobulin naturally present on human B lymphocytes. The reaction is termed the Indirect Anti-immunoglobulin Rosetting Reaction (IARR). The IARR is shown to be specific in the following ways: anti-immunoglobulin coupled ox cells do not react with normal human lymphocytes nor with lymphocytes treated with non-reactive serum. Red cells coupled with normal rabbit IgG do not react with normal or alloantibody coated lymphocytes. Multiparous sera (reactive with other individuals) do not react with cells of the serum donor in the IARR. Finally, the coupled red cells do not usually react with lymphocytes which have absorbed immune complexes onto their Fc receptors. The IARR is shown to be more sensitive than a standard cytotoxic test for detection of alloantibody. Several possible applications of the IARR are discussed.

Relationship between the HLA associated specifities 4a and 4b and the lymphocyte C3 receptor

Contrary to previous reports, we have obtained no evidence that 4a and 4b antisera specifically inhibit C3 rosette formation by human lymphocytes. Pretreatment of lymphocytes with various whole 4a and 4b antisera resulted in partial inhibition which was often nonsepcific. Ultracentrifugation of the sera to remove immune complexes removed C3 rosette inhibitory activity although specific cytotoxic activity remained. It is probable that immune complexes in antisera will have fixed C3 which will have been converted to C3d and so be able to block the C3d receptor. This is the receptor mainly measured in these and in the previous experiments.

Products of the major histocompatibility complex and their relationship to the immune response

The genes of the major histocompatibility complex were first known for the part they played in transplant rejection. Recently, however, it has become clear that the products of that region have an important part to play in the control of the immune response, through their effects both on cooperative and on aggressive interactions between cells. It is now possible to guess at the mechanisms which may underly the association of some major histocompatibility antigens with disease.

The antigens 4a and 4b in rhesus monkeys and stumptailed macaques

Small panels of rhesus and stumptailed macaques were tested in a cytotoxic assay against human and chimpanzee 4a and 4b alloantisera. The human antisera were also absorbed by macaque platelets and the effect on the serum titer against human cells considered. Results of both types of testing conclusively demonstrated the presence of 4a- and 4b-like antigens on the cells of these two macaque species. Although the frequencies of both specificities were different from those observed for man and chimpanzee, they showed an alternative distribution in the monkey populations as they do in the highest primates.

Second locus HL-A antigens and 4a or 4b

A panel of over 100 individuals was tested against several 4a and 4b antisera. A 4a/4b type was assigned to each individual on the basis of overall reactions with each group of sera. It was felt that because 4a and 4b antisera rarely give identical reaction patterns the use of several sera in each group gave a better definition of the specificities. The relationship between each second locus HL-A specificity and 4a or 4b was assessed. Most of the "narrower" antigens showed complete inclusion within one group but there were some anomalies. Associations of these specificities were analysed further by absorption experiments. 4a and 4b antisera were able to define differences in some second locus specificities which were not picked up by the narrower antisera. It seems likely that 4a and 4b represent a separate public site on the HL-A gene product which is multifactorial. For a full description of the antigens all factors should be stated as there is not an invariant association between components.