Naturally occurring human antibody to neuraminidase-treated human lymphocytes. Antibody levels in normal subjects, cancer patients, and subjects with immunodeficiency.

Antineuraminidase-treated lymphocyte antibody levels in normal individuals were compared to levels in patients with newly diagnosed malignancies, patients with immunodeficiency syndromes (some of whom subsequently developed cancer), and normal and affected members of multiple malignancy families. No correlation between antibody level and the presence of malignancy was found. In normal individuals, antibody levels were high in childhood and declined with advancing age in accord with behavior of other natural antibodies.