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Production of antibody against major trasplantation antigens has been studied in sheep receiving osteoarticular allografts at the knee joint. These investigations have shown that this type of allograft leads to the rapid production of serum antibodies in the recipient animal. It was found that a high proportion of the sheep used in these studies possessed antibodies before operation. A large number of the animals which possessed antibody against major transplantation antigens prior to operation developed a wide spectrum of antibodies after operation more rapidly than did those recipients who had no pre-existing antibody. A smaller number showed an increase in antibody spectrum which was comparable with non-sensitized recipients. An analysis of the patters of antibody production was carried out in order to assess the possible benefits of reducing the bony component of the graft in lowering its immunogenicity. It was found that the thickness of bone carried by the graft was largely irrelevant and the immune response was initiated with only small amounts of bone. There is some evidence in this data that the surface area of bone is important in determining the pattern of the immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results suggest that the anaemia in mice associated with the injection of C. parvum is mediated by an immune mechanism. Survival studies of 51Cr-labelled red blood cells (RBC) in splenectomized and unsplenectomized mice show that mice immunized with C. parvum three times, clear RBC faster than unimmunized mice. However, hyperimmunized mice stabilized their haemoglobin concentrations above their minimum level and did not clear 51Cr-labelled RBC faster than unimmunized mice. All mice produced antibody against C. parvum but remained direct Coombs'-negative. Serum from immunized animals did not contain opsonins for -51Cr-labelled RBC. The reticulocytosis, normal osmotic fragility tests and normal survival times of 51Cr-labelled RBC from C. parvum-immunized mice all suggest that the main direct influence of the micro-organism is extrinsic of the RBC. Antigens from the micro-organism were adsorbed by erythrocytes in vitro. It is hypothesized that the anaemia is caused by destruction of RBC brought about by antibody reacting with bacteria that have been adsorbed by RBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A red cell autoantibody in low titer was demonstrated in one-third of Ugandan sera tested by performing the Combs test. on enzyme (bromelain) treated erythrocytes, The authoantibody was found Keith increased frequency in subjects over 40 years of age and in those with the haemocyte anaemia in pregnancy syndrome. But was not detected in medical students. Two subjects with autoantibody\ie's and normal haemoglobin values has na normal re dell survival The authoantibody was not associated with acute attacks of malaria. The possible relationships of the autoantibody to the he\haemolytic anaemia in pregnancy and the tropical spend meagerly syndromes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have described a new autoantibody present in the serum of diseased NZB mice reactive with autochthonous and syngeneic fibroblasts. allogeneic cells are not affected. This antibody can be specifically absorbed both by fibroblasts and lymphocytes from NZB but not from control mice. The antibody cannot act as a block from diseased NZB mice. This suggests that the precise antigenic specificities of the cell-mediated and antibody responses are different [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with breast carcinoma, fibrocystic disease, and fibroadenoma have antibody to an antigen prepared from homologous breast carcinoma. In 50% of patients with breast carcinoma, this antibody, detected by immunodiffusion and complement fixation, appears within 2 weeks of radical mastectomy. This antibody also appears in a lower percentage of the sera of patients with fibrocystic disease and fibroadenoma. Gel permeation chromatography indicates the antigen to be a high molecular weight compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyanion-immunoglobulin complexes, considered important factors in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis common in systemic lupus erythematosus, were found and isolated from sera of NZB mice by selectively binding them to an anion-exchange cellulose (DE52). Accurate quantification of such complexes was possible, in terms of immunoglobulin content, by means of an antiglobulin complement-fixation assay. In sera of NZB mice the concentration of immune complexes increased up to about 11 months of age and then it declined, whereas in the sera of the C57B1 and HaICR strains of mice, which do not develop spontaneous glomerulonephritis, the concentration was lower initially but increased steadily with increasing age and reached an equivalent level at about 27 months. The complexes were composed primarily of immunoglobulins of the IgG class bound to native DNA. The finding of significant levels of circulating immune complexes in mouse strains without renal disease suggests that such complexes, although necessary, might not be sufficient and solely responsible for overt glomerulonephritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A second polymorphic trait of rabbit serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) has been revealed by a new antiserum. The antigen detected by this antiserum appears to be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. No obvious association was found between the new polymorphic trait (provisionally referred to as the R 67 antigen) and the already established MDL antigen, Hl 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The level of the third component of complement was measured in serial specimens of serum taken from thirty-one patients with acute viral hepatitis. Fourteen of the thirty-one patients were positive for the hepatitis-associated antigen. A characteristic fluctuation was observed in twenty-nine of the thirty-one patients. This consisted of an initial fall of the level of C3, followed by an increase to a higher than normal level and then a gradual return to normal. No difference was observed between the patients who were positive and those who were negative for the hepatitis-associated antigen. These results support the view that immune complexes play a significant role in the pathogenesis of acute viral hepatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibodies in human sera against four different antigens of human spermatozoa discovered by means of an indirect two-layer immunofluorescence technique (IFT) were characterized by determination of the class of immunoglobulins to which they belonged. A three-layer IFT using monospecific antisera against human IgG, IgA or IgM as the second layer was employed together with fractionation of sera on Sephadex G-200 or DEAE-cellulose followed by testing of the concentrated pools in a two-layer IFT. The study revealed that antibodies against the antigen in the front part of the acrosome were primarily IgM and those against the antigen in the tail primarily IgG. Antibodies against antigens in the equatorial segment and the postnuclear cap showed a varying predominance of these two immunoglobulins. Spermatozoal antibody as IgA was found only in small amounts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Certain foetal calf sera (FCS), upon initial injection, elicit delayed dermal reactions in some but not all guinea-pigs. The FCS that evoke significant dermal responses also initiate in vitro blastogenesis of lymphocytes taken from animals exhibiting the dermal reactions. A correlation exists between the severity of the in vivo reactions and the degree of blastogenesis observed. An explanation for these observations has been suggested, i.e. that some guineapigs possess spontaneously developed delayed hypersensitivity for antigen(s) contained in FCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunologic changes iii patients and experimental animals with skin burns include impairment of delayed hypersensitivity and the presence of autoantibodies. We have studied thirty-one patients with burns (2-46% area. 1 2-82 years old) to determine the incidence of autoantibodies, to evaluate their clinical significance and to explore the burn syndrome as a model of autoimmunity. By indirect immunofluorescence, sixteen sera (52%) showed antiepithelial ('pemphigus-like') antibody and seven gave basement layer staining. The antibody did not fix complement in vitro. Eleven (35%) had antinuclear antibodies reactive with rat liver nuclei. Tests for anti DNA and deoxyribonucleoprotein were negative. Twenty patients had positive latex fixation tests (LFT) (67%) with titres above 1:80 in eight. Eight of twenty-eight (32%) had a positive sheep cell agglutination test (SCAT). Patients over 59 years tended to be more reactive in tests for rheumatoid factor (RF) than the younger group. The incidence of positive LFT and SCAT was significantly higher than controls. There was no clear relationship of the presence of one antibody to the other nor to the severity and final outcome of the injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitating serum antibodies to Escherichia coli O antigens from some infants and children with acute pyelonephritis were studied. These precipitins were largely resistant to reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol and were localized in the 7S fraction after gel filtration of the patient sera through Sephadex G-200. The precipitins were inhibited by anti-IgG serum, but not by anti-IgA or -IgM sera using a combined single and double diffusion method. The IgG nature of the precipitins investigated was also substantiated by immunofluorescence studies of precipitates formed by E. coli O antigens and the corresponding antibodies in double diffusion plates. Possible reasons for the occurrence of IgG precipitins predominantly in patients with recurrent attacks of pyelonephritis are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabbit and chicken anti-human thrombocyte sera absorbed exhaustively with human plasma, fibrinogen, erythrocytes, leucocytes and liver powder, were used for the investigation of organ specific antigens of human thrombocytes. The absorbed chicken anti-human thrombocyte serum revealed a very high agglutinating and fluorescence activity, which aided the characterization of two different types of organ-specific antigens of thrombocytes; antigens common to human and animal platelets, and antigens specific for human platelets only. The two types of antigens were found in all platelet fractions examined, the membrane, granule and soluble fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. A comparison has been made between the reactivity of cross-reacting antibody from group O sera titrated against A cells and the reactivity when titrated against cells of group B. It is considered that the experimental findings require the postulation that cross-reacting antibodies which are produced in response to stimulation by antigen A have a different configuration from those produced in response to antigen B. The results also suggest that elution of antibody from cells at 56° may cause minor changes in spatial configuration which diminish the ability of some antibodies to combine with some subgroups of the A system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subcellular preparations of mouse thymocytes were compared with respect to their power to raise in rabbits antisera which prolonged the survival of skin homografts. Of the fractions studied thymocyte ‘membrane’ gave the most consistently good results, whereas thymocyte ‘mitochondria’ gave rise to sera which were toxic in high dose. Whole mouse liver homogenate or liver subcellular fractions did not elicit potent antisera. It is concluded that thymocyte ‘membrane’ best fulfils the requirements for an ideal material for immunization thus far studied and provides a convenient starting point for further purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studies reported here indicate that tanned red cells coated with a mixture of chromatographically purified ovalbumin and conalbumin give agglutination titres which are directly related to the amount of antibody (as meas- ured by quantitative precipitation) present against either of these antigens in mixed sera. With whole (unabsorbed) mixed sera, these coated cells record the titre of the major antibody present, whether this is anti-ovalbumin or anti-conalbumin. There was no evidence of greater sensitivity to anti-conalbumin. A trace of ovalbumin in a preparation of conalbumin used to coat cells is fully sufficient to enable them to react with any anti-ovalbumin in a serum. Twice recrystallized ovalbumin still contains some conalbumin. Sera raised against it may contain unexpectedly high levels of anti-conalbumin and this could cause confusion in tanned red cell tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]