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(Circulation. 1971;44:612.)
© 1971 American Heart Association, Inc.

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Immunoglobulin Binding in Cardiomyopathic Hearts

SUNIL K. DAS M.D.¹; JEFFERY P. CALLEN B.A.¹; VERNON N. DODSON M.D.¹; JAMES T. CASSIDY M.D.¹

¹ From the Department of Internal Medicine and the Heart Station, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104.

Bound gamma globulin was demonstrated by the direct immunofluorescent technique in heart tissue from three patients with severe congestive cardiomyopathy. In two of these patients complement (₁C) was also bound to the heart muscle. Heart tissue from one of six patients who died of myocardial infarction showed a trace of bound gamma globulin, but no bound complement. During life, the heart in advanced cardiomyopathy may preferentially fix heart-reactive immunoglobulins to specific sarcolemmal and subsarcolemmal antigens, and antiheart antibody may not be detectable in the serum.

Key Words: Cardiomyopathy • Gamma globulin • Immunofluorescence • Complement

Submitted on February 24, 1971
Accepted on June 7, 1971