Zeitschrift für Immunit?tsforschung: Immunobiology最新文献

The V.D.R.L. test for syphilis was used to evaluate the ability of various serum protein fractions to inhibit cardiolipin flocculation tests for syphilis. Serum protein fractions obtained by modifications of the method of Ecker et al. (1) were chromatographed by DEAE or gel filtration and characterized by immunodiffusion and electrophoresis.

These experiments indicated that the V.D.R.L. inhibitor substance was in the IgM fraction of serum, although it has not yet been determined whether the inhibitor is an IgM antibody or another component which cofractionates with IgM.

Repeated intravenous injections of high doses of trinitrobenzosulfonate (TNBS) or dinitrobenzosulfonate (DNBS) activate suppressor cells which inhibit the in vivo activation of a primary DNA synthesis response against trinitroehlorobenzene (TNCB) and dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), respectively, almost completely and the delayed type hypersensitivity (DH) response only partially.

When tested on the DNA-synthesis response, the suppressor cells show excellent specificity with little cross reactivity of TNBS (or DNBS) induced suppressor cells for DNCB- (or TNCB-) specific responses. TNBS- and DNBS-specific suppressor activity is found in spleen cells, mesenteric lymph nodes and peripheral lymph nodes. The activation of suppressor cells is resistant to the early effects of adult thymectomy (ATx), but sensitive to pretreatment with cyclophosphamide (CyP).

The suppressor cells are not simply haptenated cells. They need several days for their activation and are inactivated by incubation for 30 minutes at 56°C or by 2,000 R irradiation.

Attempts to obtain soluble suppressor factors by in vitro incubation or extraction of these suppressor cells failed.

The percentage of B and T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of piglets during their first 35 days of life was estimated by means of the immunofluorescence-labelled anti-L chains sera and the spontaneous E-rosette techniques.

The mean values obtained for adult pigs PBL were 23.8 ± 10.2% of B and 38.0 ± 8.4% of T lymphocytes. The piglets showed a linear increase for the B lymphocytes starting from a mean value of 4% observed for the newborns. The trend of the T lymphocytes was represented by a bimodal curve. It starts for newborns at 3% and shows a change in shape by the 10th day. It is suggested that the piglets have adult levels of B and T lymphocytes by the time of weaning.

Low numbers (10⁴) of peritoneal exudate L1210 mouse lymphoma cells were injected into DBA/2 mice subcutaneously and the development of tumours was followed. Tumour takes occurred in 100% of the animals within 9 days after tumour transplantation. The latent period of tumour development was prolonged by 6–10 days when tumour cells of the peritoneal exudate, depleted of adherent/phagocytic cells, were used in the inoculum or when tumour cells derived from continuous cell cultures were used. Addition of adherent cells in high numbers to in-vitro-derived L1210 cells accelerated tumour growth. This effect was found to be not specific for adherent/phagocytic cells, as liver cells had the same influence on tumour growth. It is concluded that, under certain experimental conditions, a cell population with the functional properties of macrophages is able to promote tumour development, most likely due to their non-specific effect on the micro-environment of the growing tumour.

The response of peripheral blood leukocytes to purified HB_sAg was studied in vitro by means of the leukocyte migration test in patients with acute viral hepatitis B, patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis carrying HB_sAg, and in asymptomatic carriers of HB_s antigen. In the acute period of the disease no leukocyte migration inhibition could be observed. Patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis also frequently failed to develop cell-mediated immunity to HB_sAg. Results obtained for HB_s antigen carriers did not differ from those of normal blood donors. The observations may indicate participation of cell-mediated immunity in the development of liver damage.

Human immunoglobulin (Ig) preparations were tested for their inhibitory effect on Fc rosette formation between anti-D-coated human erythrocytes and lymphocytes, as compared to their complement activating capacity. Both of the two biological activities ascribed to the sites in the Fc portion of the IgG molecules were found to be reduced in the pepsin-treated, as well as in the S-sulfonated Ig preparations, as compared to the activities of the normal human Ig preparation. In the plasmin-treated Ig preparation, which was found to be composed of three major components: plasmin-Fab, plasmin-Fc and plasminresistant IgG, the activity of inhibiting the Fc rosette formation was well retained, in contrast to its low complement activating capacity.

The immunoglobulins IgA, IgM and IgG of the turkey were quantitated in individual serum samples as well as in pooled sera. The variability of Ig levels in normal, healthy birds was quite high: IgA: mean value 0.633 mg/ml (4.0 x-2.5 x); IgM: mean value 4.37 mg/ml (0.5 x-1.4 x) and IgG: mean value 8.92 mg/ml (0.6 x-1.7 x).

Immunoglobulin levels in egg-yolk, egg-white, bile and some intraocular tissues were quantitated as well. An interesting finding was, that the forementioned variability was by far not so high with respect to IgG levels in 20 egg-yolk samples: mean value 5.1 mg/ml (0.86 x-1.17 x). Though IgG and IgM could be detected in pooled turkey bile, IgA predominated in this secretion. In aqueous humor, iris tissue and vitreous body only IgG could be detected.

Surface glycoproteins (papain digests) have been isolated from lymph node cells of normal mice which contain mainly T cells, and from lymph node cells of nude (athymic) mice, which essentially represent B cells. Gaschromatographic analysis revealed that the glycoproteins from the lymph node cells of the euthymic mice contain less galactose than the glycoproteins from lymph node cells of the athymic mice, but contain still more galactose than glycoproteins from thymocytes. Lymph node cells from both sources contain about equal amounts of neuraminic acid, while thymocytes contain slightly less sialic acid. The observed differences provide a molecular explanation for the different reactivity of murine B cells and T cells towards soybean agglutinine and other galactose-binding plant lectins.

A new V_Hgene is described which governs the expression of idiotypes associated with the antibody response of strain AKR mice to Group A streptococcal carbohydrate (A-CHO). This V_H gene, termed ACH^d, is identified using guinea pig antisera to a pool of strain AKR antibodies to A-CHO. The genetic polymorphism is revealed by quantitative differences in idiotype expression between different inbred strains. In recombinant inbred strains linkage to the Ig-l^d allotype allele of strain AKR is demonstrated. In a putative recombinant strain it appears that ACH^d maps at a locus different from that of A5A⁺, another V_H gene controlling idiotypes of anti-A-CHO antibodies. This represents a further example of pseudoallelism between related Vh genes and lack of homology in the V_H chromosomal region. Expression of the ACH^d gene was independent of the Ly-2,3 locus which is associated with kappa chain variants.