The role of the classical and alternate complement pathways in host defenses against Cryptococcus neoformans infection
Diamond, R.D.; May, J.E.; Kane, M.A.; Frank, M.M.; Bennett, J.E.
Journal of Immunology 112(6): 2260-2270
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-1767 PMID: 4596700 Document Number: 81403
The contrasting dense inflammatory response to infection in most tissues and minimal response in the brain was investigated by experimental study of the role of classical (C 142) and late acting (C 39) pathways of complement activity during phagocytosis. Compared with intact sera, those with only one alternate pathway gave an altered phagocytic index of 40-60% (30 min contact). Similar loss of opsonic activity was noted with heated sera. Sera from patients with cryptococcal meningitis opsonised cryptococci, but yeast cells from the spinal fluid of the same patients shows no adsorbed complement.