Tetanus toxoid-anti-tetanus toxoid complexes: a potential model to study the complement transport system for immune complex in humans.

Complement and its receptor on erythrocytes appears to play a physiological role in the elimination of large immune complexes (IC) in monkeys, and a similar system is likely to work in humans. Here we define a safe IC model which is suitable for clinical investigations. Soluble tetanus toxoid (TT)-human anti-TT (IgG) antibody complexes were prepared in large antibody excess. The size of the complexes was approximately 45 S. When incubated in normal human serum, 50% of the IC increased further in size, but remained soluble, and bound rapidly to human erythrocytes in vitro. This binding was shown to require intact classical pathway function. When injected into normal guinea-pigs a comparable proportion of IC bound immediately to blood cells (mainly to platelets). No platelet binding of IC occurred in C4-deficient guinea-pigs, but this binding was restored when C4 was supplied. Initial immune complex elimination was faster in C4 deficient than in C4-supplemented and normal guinea pigs. Thus classical pathway function appeared to be necessary for the normal processing, transport and elimination of TT-anti-TT complexes.