[Serum antibody and splenocyte immunoglobulin receptor affinity in multiply immunized mice]

In the process of repeated immunization of CBA mice with soluble Pasteurella pestis capsular antigen the concentration of antibodies in the blood increased, but the dynamics of antibody affinity in the serum did not correlate with this process. For the first time the average splenocyte receptor affinity was measured, and this characteristics was found to exceed that of the corresponding serum antibodies. To explain the heterogeneity of antibodies, two hypotheses have been proposed. One hypothesis states that the heterogeneity of antibodies is determined by the cyclic character of antigen concentration at the site of injection, while according to the other hypothesis, it is determined by the interaction of immunoglobulins of different idiotypes with idiotypic antibodies.

Heterophile antibodies in the serum of children with nephrotic syndrome

Serum of children with the nephrotic syndrome contained high titers of a (19S) IgM antibody against sheep, horse, guinea pig, rat, and rabbit red blood cells but not against cow red blood cells. There was high correlation between high titers of antisheep antibodies and active nephrotic syndrome in the children with minimal change nephrotic syndrome. The antibody differed from the Paul-Bunnell antibody found in patients with infectious mononucleosis and from the anti-Forssman, Hangautziu-Deicher antibody found in patients with horse serum sickness. Rabbit red blood cells completely absorbed the antibody, but horse or guinea pig red blood cells removed only the anti-Forssman activity.

Inhibition of cell-mediated lysis by xenoantibodies reactive with effector T lymphocytes

The aim of the present study was to determine whether rabbit antisera against various murine tissue antigens contain antibodies that affect the activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the absence of complement. Following heat inactivation, the xenoantisera were absorbed with mouse liver and kidney and tested for their capacity to inhibit cell-mediated lysis (CML). In the presence of complement (C), rabbit anti-brain antiserum (RABr), rabbit anti-thymus antiserum (RAT) and rabbit anti-boiled thymus antiserum (RABT) lysed effector T cells, and CML was abolished. In the absence of C, RAT maintained its strong inhibitory activity on CML, RABr had no inhibitory effect, whereas only some batches of RABT were effective. Monovalent Fab fragments of RAT inhibited CML as effectively as intact antibody molecules. The activity of RAT could be removed by absorption with T and B lymphocytes of various sources. Inhibitory antibodies could be removed by absorption with C3 H B lymphoma cells and upon elution from antibody-coated cells proved again highly effective in inhibiting CML. These results show that RAT contains antibodies which react with determinants shared by T and B lymphocytes and which block the activity of cytotoxic T cells.

Radioimmunoassay of human intestinal goblet cell mucin. Investigation of mucus from different organs and species

We have developed a double-antibody radioimmunoassay for the quantitative measurement of human goblet cell mucin (GCM) in order to study intestinal mucus in human and other species. The assay used 3H-labeled mucin as the antigen, rabbit antisera, and sheep anti-rabbit IgG antisera as the second antibody. A number of applications of the assay were investigated. A survey of human tissues revealed that mucins of the rectum, colon, and small intestine had identical affinity for the rabbit antibody, whereas lung eyelid conjunctiva, esophagus, and stomach reacted less strongly. GCM concentration ranged from 1.9 to 14 microgram mucin protein/mg tissue protein in the small and large intestine, respectively. The radioimmunoassay was also found to be useful as a marker during the isolation of GCM from human ileal extracts, where it indicated that a 10,000-fold purification had been achieved. Antigenic determinants of the mucin did not rely upon ABH blood group-specific terminal sugars in oligosaccharide chains. A comparison of mucins among various species revealed a partial species specificity of the GCM antibody. Human GCM cross-reacted with dog, monkey, and rabbit mucins, but not with mucins of rat, pig, toad, and oyster. Organ distributions of cross-reactive mucins in rabbit tissues indicated a pattern that was qualitatively similar to that seen in human tissues. Possible implications of these findings for autoimmune diseases are briefly discussed.

Congenital abnormalities induced by heterologous antisera directed against rat kidney glycoproteins isolated by concanavalin A affinity chromatography

It has been well established that heterologous antisera against whole rat kidney homogenate when injected into pregnant rats during the embryonic organogenetic period may induce abnormal embryonic development. Attempts were made to isolate the active components from soluble rat kidney extract by ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography, and concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. The glycoproteins isolated were capable of stimulating the production of potent rabbit antisera. When injected ip into the 9th day pregnant rats, these antisera induced embryonic death, congenital abnormalities, and fetal growth retardation. Eighty-four surviving fetuses were examined, all of them were malformed. The most frequently observed congenital defects were anophthalmia and microphthalmia. Attempts were made to analyze the glycoprotein fraction by discontinuous and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The results indicate that the glycoproteins were of high molecular weight and could be dissociated by SDS into a multitude of molecules or subunits. Although double immunodiffusion indicated that there were one major and two minor antigens in the glycoprotein fraction, attempts to identify the antigens as to their size by analytical gel electrophoresis have not been successful. Electron microscopic study seemed to suggest that the glycoproteins might tend to aggregate to form particulates. The underlying mechanism whereby the antisera to these glycoproteins induce abnormal embryonic development is not understood. The hypotheses to explain the possible sites of teratogenic antibody interaction are discussed.

[Monitoring of remission quality in acute leukemia of childhood by repeated determinations of B-cell-allo-antigen on lymphoblasts (author's transl)]

B-Cell-allo-antigen was demonstrated on lymphoblasts of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and on 14 permanent growing lymphoblastoid cell-lines. Pooled sera of 4 selected multiparas and a rabbit antiserum were used as specific antisera. Antigen was more effectively detected with heterologous antibodies than with human antisera. Primary lymphoblasts were characterized by B-cell-allo-antigen and lack of membrane immunoglobulins and Fc-receptors on the same cell. The quality of remission, i.e. the early diagnosis of relapse was better surveyed by immunological characterization than by cytological assessment. The bone marrow was examined in 8 patients with initial leukemia, in 13 patients with partial remission and in 30 patients in complete hematological remission. A striking discrepancy between immunological and cytological examination was observed in the bone marrow 4 weeks after inital anti-leukemic chemotherapy. At that time an increased number of blast-typed cells could still be counted in the immunological evaluation, although the cytological evaluation revealed already a complete hematological remission.

[Immunoglobulins in the chronic phase of Chagas disease]

Since divergent results were obtained by different authors about immunoglobulins concentration in sera from acute and chronic cases of Chagas disease, the problem was submitted to statistical approach in field conditions in the endemic zone of Bambui, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Positives cases were considered in all individuals presenting evidences in parasitological, immunological or electrocardiographical examination living exactly in the same conditions, but without any evidence of infection under the same criteria. The sample consisted of 32 chronic cases and no significant difference in the immunoglobulins levels were detected in chronic cases of Chagas disease as compared with the control group. Heterophili antibodies are being determined in chronic cases and apparently there is no relationship between its concentration and pathogenic effects.