THE ROLE OF HUMORAL ANTIBODIES IN REJECTION OF SKIN HOMOGRAFTS IN RABBITS : I. PASSIVE TRANSFER OF ISOIMMUNE SERUM TO CONDITIONED HOSTS

Passive transfer of transplantation immunity. I. Tritiated lymphoid cells. II. Lymphoid cells in millipore chambers

Passive transfer of tritiated thymidine labeled lymphoid cells sensitized to homologous tissues into non-sensitized isologous hosts resulted in accelerated rejection of homologous skin grafts in the recipients. Despite 33 per cent label of the suspension, only rare labeled sensitized lymphoid cells could be found at the site of rejection. Passive transfer of sensitized lymphoid cells in millipore chambers implanted subcutaneously or intraperitoneally in non-sensitized isologous hosts resulted in accelerated homograft rejection in the recipients. Transfer of transplantation immunity could not be accomplished with serum from sensitized hosts. The rejection of homologous tissues without the physical presence of the sensitized cell at the graft site suggested that a humoral agent produced by the cell was capable of rejecting the homograft.

PASSIVE TRANSFER OF TRANSPLANTATION IMMUNITY. IV. TRANSPLANTATION ANTIBODY FROM EXTRACTS OF SENSITIZED LYMPHOID CELLS

Passive transfer of homograft immunity was successfully achieved by injection of the supernatant obtained from tissue-sensitized lymphoid cells disrupted by sonic vibration. The effective substance destroyed specific skin homografts within 6 days but did not reject non-specific skin grafts in this time. No evidence of transferred antigen or of transfer factor was found when the effective material was passed to irradiated recipients carrying test grafts. By a variety of physiochemical procedures the "soluble substance" behaved like a gamma globulin and was considered to be a transplantation antibody.