Zeitschrift fur Immunitatsforschung, experimentelle und klinische Immunologie最新文献

The increasing number of lymphocytes with nucleoli synthesizing RNA in the mouse lymph nodes, draining the site of injection of infusion solutions, was used as a marker for their immunogenicity. The percentage of "active" lymphocytes significantly increased 3 days after the administration of preparations based on bovine serum or human haemoglobin which were found immunogenic when testing for antibody formation. Such a reaction was not elicited in mice treated with Physiogel, Dextran and Duxon which do not cause any production of antibodies. The described test may serve as a rapid and economical assay for the immunogenicity of infusion solutions and other substances.

The specificity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) generated during murine lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) has been investigated. CTL were obtained from the spleens of mice injected i.p. with LCM virus. The cytotoxic activity of the CTL was tested in an in vitro 51Cr cytotoxicity assay using infected macrophages or fibroblasts as target cells. At the peak of the cytotoxic T cell response (7-8 days after infection) the cytotoxic action was restricted to syngeneic virus-infected target cells. Using H-2 recombinant mice the target antigen of the CTL generated could be identified as products coded for by either the H-2 K or H-2 D region of the major histocompatibility complex. I region identity between CTL and infected target cells was insufficient for optimal lysis to occur. During the early phase of LCM virus infection there was a transient phase during which non-infected H-2 histocompatible targets were lysed as efficiently as virus-infected target cells. This finding may suggest, that during the early phase of LCM disease self-reactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes are temporarily present in LCM virus-infected mice.

This investigation demonstrated delayed hypersensitivity by macrophage migration inhibition (MMI) and skin-testing (ST) at 4, 8, 12, and 17 weeks and by lymphocyte transformation (LT) at 4, 12, and 17 weeks after infection of guinea-pigs (GP) with Toxoplasma gondii (C-37 strain). MMI and LT were both most pronounced at 4 and 17 weeks post-infection. GP immunized with toxoplasmin in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) demonstrated positive blast transformation and ST, but GP immunized with phosphate buffered saline in CFA did not. MMI was demonstrated with both immunizing preparations. Positive dye test and indirect hemagglutination test titers from 4 through 17 weeks were found.

By means of ferritin- and gold-labelled protectin from the albumen gland of the edible snail Helix pomatia the blood group antigen A was located on human erythrocytes of groups A1, A2 and A1B. With erythrocytes of groups O and B the reaction is negative. The antigen is focally distributed on the outer surface of the cell membrane. Cells from groups A1 and A1B have an antigen A concentration about 4 times greater than A2 cells. The numbers of particles after tagging with ferritin or gold are comparable. The gold particles show an extremely high contrast and are therefore very suitable for the immunoelectron microscopic localization of antigens.

The neoplastic cells of a patient with hairy cell leukemia were found to express a high Fc-receptor actitivy on their surface. When the Fc-receptors were determined quantitatively by measuring the uptake of 125I-labelled aggregated IgG under saturation conditions, it was found that the hariy cells bound approximately 3 times more aggregated IgG than normal adherent mononuclear cells. The bound 125I-Agg. IgG was evenly distributed on the cell surface when the cells were labelled at 4 degrees C and was rapidly redistributed in form of a cap at one cell pole during incubation at 20 degrees C.

In the white pulp of rat spleens cell numbers were studied in the different compartments following intravenous administration of comparable doses of paratyphoid vaccine (PTV, thymus-independent) and sheep red blood cells (SRBC, thymus-dependent). In the periarteriolar lymphatic sheaths (PALS) both cell concentration and volume were measured. For the follicles and the marginal zone only volume was recorded in the first 5 days following antigen administration. Additionally, histologic observations were made. In the thymus-dependent area PTV caused oedema 12-24 hours after administration. Following SRBC administration an increase in lymphocyte numbers occurred until the second day, probably representing an influx of T cells from the recirculating pool. Both antigens gave rise to a plasmacellular reaction in the peripheral PALS (2nd-4th day). In the bone marrow-dependent areas a massive shift of medium-sized lymphocytes from the marginal zone to the follicles took place in the first 24 hours following PTV administration. These cells subsequently transformed into blasts. After SRBC (6 and 12 hours) only a few marginal zone lymphocytes seemed to migrate into the follicles. It is aruged that the endotoxin present in PTV is responsible for the fact that, following administration of the antigen, all marginal zone (B) cells responded. Endotoxin stimulation might provide a model for the fate of marginal zone cells stimulated by other agents, such as antigen (stimulating antigen binding B cells) or antigen-antibody complexes (stimulating Fc-receptor B cells).

The effects of prolonged morphine administration on immunologic reactivity against morphine was studied in a number of animal species: rabbit, monkey, guinea pig, rat, and cat. Some evidence for increased serum binding of 14C-labeled morphine was noted after morphine treatment in all test species, with the rabbit the best responder and the cat showing little or no response. In addition to measurements on serum binding of 14C-labeled morphine, other methods (measurement of serum binding of 14C-labeled codeine and methadone, competitive inhibition tests, radial immunodiffusion, and passive hemagglutination) were used for one or more of the species. Overall, results with these test methods have shown that prolonged morphine administration can result in immunologic responsiveness to morphine in animals.

Complexes formed of Cobra venom factor (CVF) and activated factor B (B) by interaction of CVF and B with trypsin or factor D are capable of activating the third and fifth complement component. When incubated with sheep or guinea pig red cells and guinea pig serum in the presence of EDTA, these CVFB complexes produce "indirect lysis". Addition of a human serum factor, earlier designated as factor E (6), greatly enhances the efficiency of this lytic system. The component with this activity has been purified to homogeneity (disc and immunoelectrophoresis). In chromatographic fractionations it was inseparable from the fifth complement component, it was inactivated by and reacted with several anti-C5 antisera, and kinetics of inactivation by heat (56 degrees C) and trypsin were the same for factor E and hemolytic C5 activities. It is concluded that factor E is the fifth component of human complement. Guinea pig C5 is not capable of supporting indirect lysis in a comparable manner, for as yet unknown reasons. Some possible explanations are discussed.

19 Persons were actively immunized with adsorbed tetanus toxoid and were simultaneously given tetanus immune globulin of human origin, TIG(H), in doses of 500-1500 IU. Their antitoxin titres were followed for 1 year. Seven persons were given only TIG(H), 500 IU and 1500 IU and their antitoxin titres were followed for 3 months to 1 year. For comparison, 30 military recruits were actively immunized with adsorbed tetanus toxiod according to common practice. Their antitoxin titres were followed for 1 year. The response to complete active immunization could not be demonstrated to be impaired by passive immunization, when 500 IU or 1500 IU OF TIG(H) were given simultaneously with toxoid. The titres were in accordance with those achieved by active immunization of the recruits.

Neuraminidase may play a role as a pathogenic factor in Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infection. The protective effect of active immunization with purified neuraminidase was therefore tested in an infection experiment in white mice. Mice were immunized 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 times i.p. with Erysipelothrix neuraminidase. A control group received 10 injections with physiological saline. The infective dose varied between 7 and 7 x 10(7) cells. While all control animals infected with 7 x 10(1) germs died, the lethal effect could be reduced to 50% and 25% in animals immunized twice and 4 times, respectively. Only animals immunized 8 and 10 times were still partly protected against germ numbers of 10(3)-10(4). Germ numbers of 10(5) and more were almost always fatal even in highly immunized animals. Even a high immunization with neuraminidase could only lower the lethal by a maximum factor of 10(4) germs used.