Search

A technique which releases ribosomes from membranes without the use of detergent described in the preceding paper is shown to allow the separation of two distinct pools of poly(A)-containing RNA in microsomes. Thus, using preparations from mouse myeloma tissue-culture cells, essentially 100 % release of immunoglobulin mRNA occurs under conditions in which only 50-60 % of the total microsomal poly(A)-containing RNA is released. The RNA which is not released is principally mitochondrial ribosomal RNA and the method thus provides a good preparative procedure for this fraction. Messenger ribonucleoprotein particles involved in immunoglobulin biosynthesis have been prepared from the released material. The heavy-chain mRNA-containing particle sediments in a neutral sucrose gradient at about 22 S, and that containing the light-chain mRNA at about 18 S. The ribosome-release technique has been used for the rapid preparation of light-chain mRNA in good yield and at over 60 % purity after a single sucrose gradient centrifugation. Further purification has been achieved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Using [32P]RNA, the contaminants can be estimated directly at the chemical leveI using a fingerprint assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to MN receptors, Pr1 and Pr2 antigens of isolated glycoprotein of erythrocytes are not inactivated by acylation of free amino groups. By introduction of easily leaving groups, e.g. trifluoroacetic residues, inactivation of the MN activity can be made reversible. No differences between Pr1 and Pr2 antigens could be found with the reactions described in this paper. Acylation m aqueous phase (buffer/anhydrous acetic acid) and m organic phase (pyridine/ anhydrous acetic acid) gave identical results qualitatively and quantitatively. It was not possible to split the N-acetic binding neither under mild alkaline conditions nor with aminoacylase. 4-5 amino groups out of 11 could be acylated, whereas succinylation in aquous phase (buffer/ anhydrous succinic acid) resulted in modification of only one free amino group, the calculations being based on a molecular weight of 30 000. Following succinylation MN activity was also lost, whereas the antigenic activity of Pr1 and Pr2 remained unchanged. The appearance of a negative charge instead of the positive charge of the free amino group on the glycoprotein did not affect Pr1 or Pr2 activity m any way. If glycoprotein was esterified under conditions which cause esterification of free sialic acid to a wide extent neither MN activity nor Pr1/Pr2 activity was altered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific antibodies to two plant, hormones, namely indole-3-acetic acid and gibberellic acid, were produced in rabbits which were immunized with conjugates of either hormone to hemocyanin. The specific antibodies obtained were used for assaying the hormones by several immunological assays. The most sensitive assay reported in this paper, for the determination of indole-3-acetic acid and gibberellic acid, is the inhibition of inactivation of modified bacteriophage. For this assay conjugates of either hormone with bacteriophage T4 were prepared and characterized. Such chemically modified bacteriophages were completely inactivated by the respective specific antiserum and this inactivation was inhibited by the free hormone. The specificity of the antibodies produced was tested by a series of cross-reactions. There was no immunological cross-reaction between the two hormones which can, therefore, be determined independently. However, antibodies to indole-3-acetic acid cross-reacted with chemically related compounds such as indole-acetyl-ε-amino caproic acid, tryptamine and tryptophan. The immunological specificity of different gibberellins tested was found to be in good correlation with the biological specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An immunoglobulin M from Waldenström's disease (IgM Ga) was hydrolysed by papain and a glycopeptide fraction was isolated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. This fraction was then successively resolved into fourteen glycopeptides by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 and by preparative paper electrophoresis at pH 1.9. The amino acid and carbohydrate content of these glycopeptides was determined by ionexchange chromatography in an autoanalyzer. All of them contain aspartic acid and serine, but they are quite different from one another, in amino acid composition and sequence about, the carbohydrate-peptide linkage, especially with respect to histidine, tyrosine, threonine, valine, glutamic acid, lysine and proline. Furthermore, a number of glycopeptides contain only mannose and glucosamine, while others contain in addition, galactose, fucose, and N-acetylneuraminic acid, in variable amounts. These results suggest the presence of several linkage sites of the oligosaccharide chains on the H-chain and the true heterogeneity of these oligosaccharide chains. The peptide sequence of a few glyeopeptides was reported, especially the following: r-Asn(carbohydrates)-Ser-Thr, also present, in the Fc fragment of Immunoglobulin G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the spleen in humoral antibody formation and in the pathogenesis of immune thyroiditis was studied by splenectomizing four monkeys (Macaca mulatta) prior to thyroid isoimmunization. Splenectomized animals, as well as intact controls, were subjected to sequential immunizations and the course of the immune disease was followed by periodic thyroid biopsies and frequent humoral antibody measurements over a period exceeding 1 yr. Extirpation of the secondary lymphoid organ markedly inhibited agglutinating antibody response, prevented formation of complement-fixing antibodies, but had no effect on thyrocytotoxic antibodies. In animals subjected to immunization in complete adjuvant a trend towards a decrease in serum complement levels was evident at the terminal stages of the experiments. Despite the inhibitory effects on some immunological parameters, splenectomy in monkeys prior to thyroid isoimmunization did not interfere with the initiation and progression of pathological processes in the thyroid. Indeed in all splenectomized animals immunized with thyroid plus complete adjuvant, fibrotic thyroid lesions (4+) with virtual obliteration of thyroid follicles were evident, in some as early as 120 days after primary immunization; in contrast, non-fibrotic and less severe lesions were noted in the intact animal despite being repeatedly subjected to similar immunization procedures over a period of 340 days. Immunization in the absence of complete adjuvant did not induce thyroid lesions in the presence or absence of spleen. In all animals with severe thyroid lesions, thyroid function decreased as revealed by T4 and 131I-T3 resin uptake measurements. Paper electrophoresis of serum specimens from a monkey subjected to thyroid isoimmunization in complete adjuvant (and after equilibration with 125I-T4) showed a pronounced retention of 125I-T4 radioactivity at the gamma globulin region indicating formation of antibodies to thyroxine. On the other hand, in sera with a low thyroid antibody titre as in splenectomized monkeys or in those animals immunized within complete adjuvant, T4-binding antibodies were not evident. It is concluded that removal of the spleen prior to thyroid isoimmunization in monkeys, rather than inhibiting the severity of the disease may even aid and abet immunopathogenic events destructive to the thyroid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Target cell killing by lymphocytes can be induced by appropriate antibody complexed to target cell antigens. In this paper it is shown that this form of lymphocyte mediated cytotoxicity is susceptible to inhibition by third party immune complexes which compete with target cell bound antibody for receptors for immunoglobulin on the cytotoxic lymphocytes. The physical state of the complexes is investigated in relation to their inhibitory efficiency. Evidence is presented to show that soluble complexes which exist in antigen-antibody equilibrium or slight antigen excess are the most effective inhibitors. No evidence could be obtained to support the hypothesis that soluble immune complexes can induce indiscriminate cytotoxic activity in lymphocytes. The biological significance of this effect is discussed in relation to chronic inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the course of infection and the immunological response in thymus-deprived and normal CBA mice after intradermal inoculation with promastigotes of L. tropica. Infection of normal mice resulted in the development of a cutaneous ulcer healing within 12 weeks. As the infection progressed and the draining lymph nodes increased in weight, changes in the paracortical and follicular regions were accompanied by the development of delayed hypersensitivity and the production of antibodies detectable by immunofluorescence and a parasite agglutination test. Lesions in thymectomized irradiated mice healed more slowly and the draining lymph nodes were smaller than in normal mice. Follicular reactions were feeble and paracortical activity depressed. The most noticeable feature of these lymph nodes was a persistent and intense macrophage infiltration. Delayed hypersensitivity and antibodies detectable by immunofluorescence were correspondingly low; but parasite agglutinating antibody was not depressed. The course of infection and immunological response of a control group of sham thymectomized, irradiated mice resembled that of normal mice. These experiments indicate that thymus-dependent cell populations play an important role in the response of mice to infection with L. tropica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertebrates develop a highly specialized system of defense mechanisms as a result of continuous stimulation by foreign materials from the environment. Whether free in body fluids or attached to cell surfaces, antibodies play the key role in the recognition of, and protection of the body against, foreign substances. Important characteristics of anitbodies are their adaptive production as a result of antigenic stimulation and the specificity they exhibit in their reaction with the antigen that induced their production. Antibodies are present in the globulin fraction of the body fluids and are summarily called immunoglobulins. Knowledge pertaining to antibody structure has been acquired principally from research of the last two decades. During this period many important findings have been made that are applicable to other proteins; in fact, anitbodies are presently the most completely characterized of the complex proteins. This paper will encompass a brief review of the structure of antibodies. The rapid development in this field makes it difficult to ensure the inclusion of all appropriate publications, and therefore we shall refer the reader principally to the most recent review articles and books which can be examined for more detailed information. Of these, four deserve special attention: Kochwa & Kunkel (1971), Amos (1971), Merler (1970), and the Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology (1967). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has previously been shown that rats do not expel a primary infection of Nippostronglus brasiliensis during lactation. In the present paper, three aspects of the immune response of the lactating rat to the parasite were examined and compared with the response of non-lactating rats. Protective and reaginic antibodies were present in the circulation of rats first infected during lactation, in titres as high or higher than those in non-lactating controls. The intestinal mast cell response was similar both in timing and magnitude and lactating rats became susceptible to shock with the i.v. injection of antigen. Attention was drawn to the similarity between the response of the lactating rat and that of the neonate to this infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ficoll, a polymer of sucrose, and bovine serum albumin have been compared as media for preparation of density gradients for separation of lymphoid cells. Direct vapour pressure osmometer measurements demonstrated that Ficoll at high concentrations has a marked effect on the osmolarity of the medium in which it is dissolved. Albumin, prepared in the manner we have described in earlier papers of this series, has no effect, and density gradients prepared with this albumin do not contain gradients of osmolarity. Antibody forming calls give basically similar density distributions after separation in both media, apart from a slight overall shift to the dense end due to shrinkage in Ficoll. Heterogeneous, multiple peak distribution profiles, or relatively simple, homogeneous profiles may be obtained in both media, depending on the source of antibody-forming cells, the stage of differentiation of the population, and the degree of resolution of the gradient. Antibody-forming cell density heterogeneity is a property of the cell population, rather than an artifact of the separation system. Different animal species have a wide variation in the osmolarity of their sera. Albumin-gradients of osmolarity which were not iso-osmotic for the mouse caused a general shift in the density of mouse cell populations but no marked change in the relative distribution of cells. However, a change from iso-osmotic conditions did affect the ability of cells to reband on a second gradient. The use of gradients iso-osmotic for the particular species under study is recommended as a general procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a new method for the morphological study of individual antibody-forming cells (AFC) on cell smears of the quality of normal haematological preparations. The early AFC response to polymerized flagellin of S. adelaide was studied in vivo using C57BL mice, which have very low background levels of AFC and in vitro using dispersed spleen cell cultures from CBA mice. AFC, arising as a result of in vivo or in vitro stimulation were found to comprise a heterogeneous population, including basophilic mononuclear cells, lymphocytes of most sizes, immature blast cells and occasional plasma cells. The earliest AFC detected comprised a high percentage (28 per cent in vivo, 31 per cent in vitro) of small lymphocyte-like cells. Studies of the incorporation of [³H]thymidine showed that most AFC arose by proliferation but that a proportion of AFC, the small lymphocyte-like cells, arose by differentiation of precursor cells not involving cell division. The effects of antigen concentration on the kinetics of AFC were investigated in vitro. Subtolerogenic antigen doses caused a delayed and decreased AFC response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data presented in this paper indicate that by column chromatography using an O acetylated galactan, a considerable degree of purification of specific antibody to O antigen 5 may be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When lymphoid cells from hypersensitive rabbits are incubated with antigen, biologically active substances are formed and released which are capable of inhibiting the migration of normal non-sensitized mesenchymal cells. In the present paper some basic parameters of their production were determined. These substances were regularly obtained after 6 and 18 hours incubation, but not after 2 hours. Under more favourable cultivation conditions (lower density of lymphocyte suspension) an increased activity in the cell extracts as compared with the supernatants was observed. Another critical factor in the production of these substances is the quantity of antigen added. Ten micrograms of PPD leads to the production and liberation of a highly effective substance. A lower dose of antigen results in the liberation of a substance into the supernatant which by itself is almost inactive, but becomes more active when more antigen is added. The efficiency of the released substances was determined by serial dilution. The inhibiting activity was maintained at 1:5 and 1:20 and sometimes at 1:100 dilutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rat liver microsomes were separated into three subfractions by means of ultracentrifugation through sucrose media of different densities and in the presence of different cations. Detergent extracts of these preparations were analysed by double diffusion in agar gel and immunoelectrophoresis with rabbit antisera against each of the subfractions. One subfraction was derived from the ‘rough’ and another from the ‘smooth’ part of the endoplasmic reticulum of the liver parenchymal cells. Their extracts contained at least thirteen soluble antigens in common. However, fraction-specific antigens were also present. Thus, the extracts of the rough (R) membranes contained at least one typical antigen, not found in any of the other fractions. An antiserum against this component also precipitated a non-migrating antigen present only in the extracts of smooth (Sa) membranes. These two antigens may represent different molecular forms of a substance involved in binding of the ribosomes or in the assembly of membrane subunits. At least eleven of the antigens common for the two fractions exhibited enzymatic activities when assayed after precipitation with antibody in the immunoelectro- phoretic plates. Six immunologically and electrophoretically distinct antigens had esterase activity with α-naphthyl propionate as substrate. Two of these esterases also split indoxyl acetate. Three other antigens with acid phosphatase activity split both α-naphthyl acid phosphate and β-glycerophosphate. Three antigens had nucleoside diphosphatase activity when tested with uridine- or inosine-diphosphate. Preliminary experiments also suggested that two additional antigens possessed NADH-diaphorase activity and thus could belong to the microsomal electron trans- port systems. The third subfraction consisted of electron-microscopically smooth membranes (Sb), enzymatically different from those of the endoplasmic reticulum. The antigens typical for the latter were either absent or present only in minor and variable concentrations. Its extracts contained at least two typical antigens. One of these was identified as contaminating ferritin. The nature and origin of the other antigen has not yet been established. All antigens described in this paper were immunologically different from the common rat serum proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper deals with some of the quantitative aspects of immunoglobulin formation in vitro. The results of this study show that isolated spleen cells synthesize about 1.25 μg IgG per 108 lymphoid cells during the first 6 hours of incubation. The initial rate of synthesis was not maintained throughout the 48 hours of incubation, but decreased markedly after 6 hours. Comparison of the intensity of the autoradiographic line with the amount of radioactive immunoglobulin in the precipitation line revealed that a very distinct line (gradation + + +) corresponds to about 0.0125 μg IgG. The limit of visibility (+) is reached at approximately 0.0002/μg radioactive IgG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of immunoglobulins by human tissues was studied by three techniques: (1) Autoradiography of the immunoelectrophoretic pattern of culture fluids of tissue fragments or cell suspensions in a medium with radio- active amino acids; (2) immunofluorescent staining of the tissue sections or cell suspensions, before incubation, with antisera specific for one immunogtobulin; and (3) histological and cytological study of the samples. The paper gives a detailed description of the techniques applied and evaluates the specificity of the immunological methods used. Various control experiments were performed: Incubation of dead tissues or normal serum in the radioactive culture medium excluded the adsorption of [14C]amino acids on to immunoglobulins. Cultures of tissue fragments in the presence of puromycin showed an inhibition of the synthesis of [14C]immunoglobulins. Autoradiography of a ‘fingerprint’ of radioactive IgG demonstrated radioactive amino acids present in different peptides of the synthesized molecule. From these control experiments it can be concluded that the labelling of the immunoglobulins is based on the incorporation of [14C]amino acids during incubation in vitro. The specificity of the immunofluorescent staining was evaluated by immuno- diffusion of the antisera and conjugates, by blocking procedures and by specific staining of bone-marrow samples from patients with various immunoglobulin abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunofluorescent and isotope coprecipitation techniques provided methods of studying in vitro production of antibody by chicken spleen cells. In some culture preparations precipitating antibody was produced in sufficient quantity to be measured by quantitative techniques. The in vitro production of globulins by chicken spleen cells has been demonstrated by paper and immunoelectrophoresis of tissue culture medium. The antibody in the globulin produced in the in vitro tissue culture preparations may be shown by an autoradiograph of the immunoelectrophoresis after the addition of antigen trace labelled with radioactive iodine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red cells sensitized with naturally occurring or 'immune' fowl antibody were lysed by fresh fowl serum. This fowl complement could not be replaced by that of human, rabbit or guinea pig. Both naturally occurring and 'immune' antibodies to red cells in the mammalian species tested did not lyse with fowl complement. Lysis by fresh fowl serum of sheep red cells sensitized with mammalian antibody is due to the presence of naturally occurrent antibody to these cells in the fowl serum; the enhancement of this lysis by the mammalian antibody will be described more fully in the next paper. Naturally occurring antibody to sheep red cells present in turkey serum and 'immune' antibody to fowl red cells were not lytic with fresh turkey serum, with fowl complement, with guinea-pig complement or with any combination of these. Some properties of fowl complement are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat and pH stability studies and experiments with organic solvents show that the A-antigens discussed in the preceding paper (Augustin, 1959c) are much more labile than the I-(‘inner ring’) antigens. Breakdown products and/or aggregates are produced which no longer precipitate with antisera to the original extracts, but act as inhibitors. Solutions of pollen allergens, on the other hand, are found to withstand even autoclaving for 15 min. at 20 atm. and vigorous boiling over the naked flame of a bunsen burner. None of the carbohydrates tested has a demonstrable effect on skin reactivity which is, however, destroyed by crystalline pepsin, crystalline trypsin, a crystalline mould protease and a tissue protease (a partially purified extract from rabbit spleen). It follows that the bulk of the allergens—if not all—are proteins. The relation of skin reactivity, immuno-electrophoretic patterns, carbohydrate and protein reactions to the selective destruction of the pollen antigens is investigated. Pollen components prove to have a somewhat wider range of electrophoretic mobilities than serum proteins and are probably as complicated a mixture. The most and least highly negatively charged components are without skin reactivity in allergic subjects. The skin reactive allergens appear to have the mobilities of α- and β-globulins. Not all the hay fever subjects react equally to all the components, and Cocksfoot and Timothy activity patterns vary in different subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst the ability of isoantibodies to agglutinate mouse red cells in saline medium does depend in part upon the properties of the antibody molecules, the concentration of antigen upon the red cell and certain genetically determined properties of the cell surface are of even greater importance. The red cells of mice of any strain will give positive results in the human serum:dextran system whilst reactions in a saline medium are unusual. In this paper the term ‘incomplete antibody’ is used to denote antibodies that can only be detected in conjunction with other antibodies in the human serum:dextran system. The time of appearance of antibodies to homografts of an ascites sarcoma, an ascites leukosis and a solid mammary carcinoma has been studied. Incomplete antibody as defined above has been detected by two methods. In the blocking test incomplete antibody is allowed to react with red cells before contact with complete antibody, a positive result being observed as a fall in titre when the treated red cells are subsequently exposed to complete antibody. In the second type of test, the synergic test, incomplete antibody is mixed with suitably diluted complete antibody and fitrated against suitable red cells, a positive result being a significant rise in titre as compared with complete antibody mixed with normal serum. Antibodies produced by the antigen donors did not give significant blocking or synergic effects. Incomplete antibodies are sometimes detectible on the third day and with regularity on the fourth day. Antibodies ‘complete’ for A strain red cells may appear at any time from the fifth day onwards. There is sometimes a drop in fitre of varying duration on the sixth day. This corresponds with the commencement of marked inflammatory changes on the graft bed. The maximum titre is attained at about two weeks. Antibodies may disappear in under three months or persist as long as a year. The function of antibodies in homograft reactions varies with the target tissue. However, they appear before the onset of anatomical signs of homograff response regardless of the type of target cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the specificity of the skin-reactive guinea-pig immunoglobulin in the homologous PCA test has been reconsidered. Extensive purification of this immunoglobulin by chromatographic methods results in the isolation of a small fraction or medium speed immunoglobulins that contains all skin reactivity. No correlation could be found with the 7S immunoglobulins IgGγ1 and Igγ1A suggesting a separate class of biologically active immunoglobulins. The PCA active antibody belongs to either an IgG subclass or is a heat stable homocytotropic antibody. Rabbit and chicken antisera against isolated fractions of guinea-pig immunoglobulins show the existence of 7S subclasses. Some suggestions for a revised nomenclature are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘Natural’ opsonins to Salmonella typhimurium in serum from foetal and natal rats have been shown to be in part macroglobulins. The titre of these opsonins was shown to increase in the young natal animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the study of canine erythrocyte antibodies. An adaptation of the Polybrene technique for typing of canine erythrocytes is reported in this paper. Dog whole blood was anticoagulated with acid-citrate-dextrose in a proportion of 1:9 The samples were stored at 40, and used within 10 days. Manual typing and titrations were performed. Adaptation of this technique to canine blood study required two modifications: 15 per cent bovine serum albumin was substituted for homologous normal serum; the concentration of Polybrene was reduced to 0.033 mg/ml. Results demonstrated that the Polybrene technique is from 12.5 (anti-A) to 3200-fold (anti-He) more sensitive than the manual technique.