Immunological Studies on Adrenal Glands III. INTERSPECIES RELATIONS OF THERMOSTABLE ADRENAL-SPECIFIC ANTIGENS.

In continuation of the previous work on organ specificity of bovine adrenal, rabbit antisera against human, porcine and equine adrenal were obtained. It was demonstrated that, in addition to ox, man, pig and horse contain adrenal specific antigens that can be associated with organ preparation obtained by extraction at 100° followed by precipitation at a 72 per cent ethanol concentration. The present study allowed identification of two thermostable adrenal-specific antigens, one of them being species-restricted and the other crossing the species line. The former antigen was serologically dissimilar in man, ox, pig and horse. It could be detected only by homologous anti-adrenal sera and was represented by a thicker precipitation line. The latter antigen could be detected by both homologous and heterologous anti-adrenal sera and it was represented by a thinner precipitation line. This antigen was closely related, thought possibly not identical, in man, ox, pig and horse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]