Immunochemical characteristics of human anti-T antibodies.

A specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay was developed to investigate the immunochemical properties of serum anti-T antibodies. Evidence was presented that the radioimmunoassay can measure non-agglutinating as well as agglutinating anti-T antibodies, while the hemagglutination method can detect only the latter type. Although the hemagglutination method failed to detect anti-T agglutinins in cord sera, the radioimmunoassay results demonstrated the presence of non-agglutinating antibodies. Presence of 1% polyethylene glycol potentiated some of the originally nonagglutinating antibodies to produce a hemagglutination reaction. Immunochemical characteristics associated with the human anti-T antibodies are discussed.