Abstract

BENCOMO-HERNANDEZ, Antonio; GUTIERREZ-DIAZ, Adys; AVILA-CABRERA, Onel  and  RAMON-RODRIGUEZ, Luis. Characterization of autoantibodies in autoimmune hemolytic anemia following treatment with interferon alfa. Rev Cubana Hematol Inmunol Hemoter [online]. 2012, vol.28, n.1, pp. 41-52. ISSN 0864-0289.

We studied 13 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia induced by interferon alfa. They underwent tests for immune protein detection and characterization of IgG subclasses in RBCs by direct antiglobulin test (PAD) and the microplate technique. Also they were applied ELISA test for quantifying immunoglobulins in the red blood cells. It was detected the presence of IgG and C3 in 53.84 % of cases, IgG alone in 23.07 % and in 15.38 % were identified IgG and IgA autoantibodies. In 11 patients the presence of IgG1 was showed and also in one case the subclass IgG3 autoantibodies was identified. The ELISA detected antibodies at concentrations of 183 IgG molecules per erythrocyte in a patient with negative PAD. In high-grade hemolysis patients, it was found a concentration of autoantibodies between 1 500 and 3 180 molecules of IgG per erythrocyte, while in low-grade hemolysis patients it behaved between 183 and 1 000 molecules. There was a negative correlation between Hb and plasma haptoglobin values with the number of IgG molecules per erythrocyte and a positive correlation between the latter with the reticulocyte count.

Keywords : Autoimmune hemolytic anemia; interferon alpha; chronic myeloid leukemia; sublclases IgG.