The complement system was examined in two patients with systemic Neisseria meningitidis infections, both of whom had reduced or nondetectable CH50 as analysed by both pathways. C3 measured by conventional technique revealed 19% anti-C3c-reactive protein in the plasma of patient 1 and 3% in patient 2. Patient 1 had circulating C3b but no detectable C3c, C3d, or C4d, whereas patient 2 had normal levels of C3c and C4d and strongly elevated levels of C3d. Factor B analysis revealed no demonstrable native factor B and small amounts of Bb in patient 1 and normal concentration of native factor B plus trace amounts of Bb in patient 2. The depletion of C3 in both patients was due to uncontrolled activation caused by complete factor I deficiency (patient 1) and circulating C3 nephritic factor (patient 2). Both parents of patient 1 had factor I concentrations below (mean-2 SD) that seen in normal healthy individuals (n = 20). Circulating immune complexes (IC) were demonstrated in patient 1 only, whereas serum from both patients had strongly reduced capacity to solubilize preformed IC.

A 15‐year‐old female experienced two systemic infections with N. meningitidis (group C and B) within a two months period. Classical as well as alternative pathway CH50 determinations on the patients serum showed no lysis. All individual complement factor concentrations, except for C3, were found to be within the reference area. Crossed immunoelectrophoretic analysis of C3 revealed no demonstrable native C3. The patient had normal levels of C3c and a markedly elevated C3d concentration. Serum from the patient was found to convert all native C3 in normal sera within 10 minutes at 37 °C. The active converting principle, present in the IgG fraction activated C3 in C4‐depleted serum, and had a dose dependent stabilizing effect on the EA‐C3bBb complex. The isolated factor showing the characteristics of C3 nephritic factor (C3 NeF), was unchanged in the patients serum over a ten months observation period. Circulating immune complexes (IC) could not be demonstrated by a C1 q‐dependent assay but the patients capacity to solubilize preformed IC in vitro was virtually abolished. The patient had no signs of renal disease or lipodystrophy.

Seven patients with Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS) and 15 presumed heterozygotes of BSS from four families are presented. Evaluation of their platelet membranes was performed by an enzyme-linked radioimmunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique including monoclonal antibodies specific for glycoprotein (GP) lb and GPIIb/IIIa. Analyses of platelets from the patients revealed 6–33% of the normal GPIb concentration; siblings showed nearly equal amounts of this component. One of the relatives had 44% of the normal level, while 85–98% (mean 92%) of the normal GPIb content was observed in the remaining relatives. Normal or slightly elevated levels of GPIIb/IIIa were detected in the patients as well as in the relatives. All relatives had normal platelet count, size distribution, bleeding time, and ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation. The patients and their relatives may account for a biological variation in GPIb expression or may represent a variant type of BSS.

In 12 patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC) the rectal epithelial cells were analyzed for HLA-DR antigens by an immunohistochemical technique. The clinical, rectoscopic, and histologic stages were also determined. The investigations were carried out at the beginning of the study and 2 weeks and 3 months later. The rectal epithelial cells were HLA-DR-positive in all patients at the first two examinations. After 3 months five patients had changed to an HLA-DR-negative stage, whereas the other seven patients remained HLA-DR-positive. Closer analyses showed that expression/nonexpression of HLA-DR antigens on rectal epithelial cells of patients with UC could not be predicted from the clinical, rectoscopic, or histologic findings. HLA-DR expression is normally restricted to immunocompetent cells. The presence of HLA-DR antigens on epithelial cells may be a consequence of immunological reactions. Whether HLA-DR-positive cells have a specific function is unknown.