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The demonstration of antibodies in lymphocytes
Miscellaneous
31
there are Rh antibodies capable of combining with Rh-positive cells without producing a visible reaction. This type of Rh antibody is called Rh blocking antibody, since it blocks the action of anti-Rh agglutinins. A biologic test for Rh sensitivity was previously described by one of the authors and was employed in the present study to detect sensitivity to Rh factor caused by pregnancy. This test is of particular value where facilities for carryin, u out in vitro tests are not available. It consists of the intravenous injection of 50 C.C. of blood to which the patient may be sensitive and grossly comparing the colors of the patient’s titrated plasmas obtained before, and one and one-half hours after, injection. If sensitivtiy is present, the second sample of plasma is darker. Often t,hc patient has a chill and a rise in temperature The test was employed in women about an hour after the injection. who had repeated miscarriages or stillbirths. In one case, it was proved that Rh sensitivity was not responsible for the repeated miscarriages. In a second case, a positive biologic test proved that two stillbirths were probably due to isoimmunization even t,hough in vitro tests for anti-Rh agglutinins in the women’s serum had been negative. Two cases of hemolytic disease of the newborn, treated by transfusion of Rh-negative hlood, are described. A.
The Demonstration
of Antibodies
Chase, J. H., and White, 295, 1944.
in Lymphocytes,
A. : Proc. Sot. Exper.
Dougherty, T. F., Biol. & Med. 57:
The presence of antibodies in lymphocytes was demonstrated. Normal mice were repeatedly injected intraperitoneally with a solution of sheep erythrocytes over a period of several weeks. After five weeks of immunization, two groups of fire mice each were bled from the heart and sacrificed. Inguinal, axillary, cervical and mesenteric lymph nodes, and the thymi were removed. The lymphoid tissue from each group of five mice was pooled and extracted. A control extract was made from the lymphoid structures of nonimmunized mice. Agglutinin and hemolysin titers were made on the extracts and on the pooled sera of each group of five animals. The extracts from both pronps of immunized mice contained antibody protein since they produced agglutination and hemolysis. The nitrogen content of the titers of extracts of lymphoid cells from immunized mice was eight times greater than that of the corresponding sera. Salivary gland or muscle tissue extracts from the immunized mice contained no agglutinins or hemolysin. Lymphoid cell extracts and sera of nonimmunized mice did not contain antibodies. It was concluded from these studies that antibody production takes place in lymph nodes and that antibody is concentrated chiefly iithin lymphocytes. The production of antibodies by lymphocytes has not yet been demonstrated. A.
31
there are Rh antibodies capable of combining with Rh-positive cells without producing a visible reaction. This type of Rh antibody is called Rh blocking antibody, since it blocks the action of anti-Rh agglutinins. A biologic test for Rh sensitivity was previously described by one of the authors and was employed in the present study to detect sensitivity to Rh factor caused by pregnancy. This test is of particular value where facilities for carryin, u out in vitro tests are not available. It consists of the intravenous injection of 50 C.C. of blood to which the patient may be sensitive and grossly comparing the colors of the patient’s titrated plasmas obtained before, and one and one-half hours after, injection. If sensitivtiy is present, the second sample of plasma is darker. Often t,hc patient has a chill and a rise in temperature The test was employed in women about an hour after the injection. who had repeated miscarriages or stillbirths. In one case, it was proved that Rh sensitivity was not responsible for the repeated miscarriages. In a second case, a positive biologic test proved that two stillbirths were probably due to isoimmunization even t,hough in vitro tests for anti-Rh agglutinins in the women’s serum had been negative. Two cases of hemolytic disease of the newborn, treated by transfusion of Rh-negative hlood, are described. A.
The Demonstration
of Antibodies
Chase, J. H., and White, 295, 1944.
in Lymphocytes,
A. : Proc. Sot. Exper.
Dougherty, T. F., Biol. & Med. 57:
The presence of antibodies in lymphocytes was demonstrated. Normal mice were repeatedly injected intraperitoneally with a solution of sheep erythrocytes over a period of several weeks. After five weeks of immunization, two groups of fire mice each were bled from the heart and sacrificed. Inguinal, axillary, cervical and mesenteric lymph nodes, and the thymi were removed. The lymphoid tissue from each group of five mice was pooled and extracted. A control extract was made from the lymphoid structures of nonimmunized mice. Agglutinin and hemolysin titers were made on the extracts and on the pooled sera of each group of five animals. The extracts from both pronps of immunized mice contained antibody protein since they produced agglutination and hemolysis. The nitrogen content of the titers of extracts of lymphoid cells from immunized mice was eight times greater than that of the corresponding sera. Salivary gland or muscle tissue extracts from the immunized mice contained no agglutinins or hemolysin. Lymphoid cell extracts and sera of nonimmunized mice did not contain antibodies. It was concluded from these studies that antibody production takes place in lymph nodes and that antibody is concentrated chiefly iithin lymphocytes. The production of antibodies by lymphocytes has not yet been demonstrated. A.