Figure 5.
Residual hemolysis of antibody-sensitized PNH erythrocytes in presence of eculizumab. (A) Residual TP activity under eculizumab after CP activation detected through hemolysis of PNH-RBCs. Three different alloantibodies were each incubated with erythrocytes from PNH patients (all of ABO blood group 0, positive for the antigens Jkb, Lan, and PP1Pk), washed and exposed to standardized NHS, standardized FB-dpl serum, or serum mixed with eculizumab. The final serum content was 50%, and the final eculizumab concentration was 1.2 µM. Erythrocytes from PNH patient D were used. (Results from 1 out of 3 independent assays are shown; for the 2 other assays with erythrocytes from PNH patients E and F, see supplemental Figure 6A-B). (B) Levels of hemolysis and residual hemolysis under eculizumab correlate with the concentration of anti-PP1Pk antibody used for sensitization. PNH-RBCs were incubated with anti-PP1Pk alloantibody at different titers, washed, and then exposed to NHS or NHS supplemented with eculizumab. The final serum content was 50%. Erythrocytes from PNH patient F were used. (Results from 1 out of 3 independent assays are shown; for the 2 other assays with erythrocytes from PNH patients G and F with alloantibody anti-Jka and anti-Lan, see supplemental Figure 7). (C) Effect of increasing eculizumab concentrations on hemolysis of PNH-RBCs sensitized with different titers of alloantibody. Reactions were performed as in panel B. Anti-PP1Pk alloantibody and erythrocytes from PNH patient F were used. (Results from 1 out of 3 independent assays are shown; for the 2 other assays with erythrocytes from PNH patients C and F with alloantibody anti-Jra, see supplemental Figure 8). (D) Effect of combined complement inhibition by eculizumab and the alternative pathway inhibitor mini-FH (which specifically accelerates the natural decay of alternative pathway convertases but is a cofactor for factor I–mediated cleavage of all, classical/lectin and alternative pathway produced C3b molecules). Assay was performed as in panel B, with PNH-RBCs of patient F and anti-PP1Pk alloantibody. (Results from 1 out of 3 independent assays are shown; for other assays with erythrocytes from PNH patients E and F and anti-Jkb alloantibody, see supplemental Figure 9). Ecu, eculizumab.