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VACCINIA AND HUMAN BLOOD-GROUP-A SUBSTANCE
622 intestinal anomaly. The likelihood of such anomalies being present should be more widely appreciated. I wish to thank Mr. H. Upenieks for providing the illustration from my sketches, and Prof. D. C. Sinclair for his helpful comments.
(N)
(I)
TITRATION OF NORMAL RABBIT SERA WITH HUMAN AND IMMUNB At AND B CELLS AFTER ABSORPTION WITH HUMAN GROUP-0 RHESUS-
NEGATIVE CELLS
REFERENCES
Bennett, R. (1960) Med. J. Aust. i, 460. Brown, R. B., Ross, D. (1951) Ann. Surg. 134, 86. Davies, O., Johansen, R., Goldman, L. ibid. 142, 875. Donaldson, H. H. (1936) Amer. J. Surg. 32, 352. Dott, N. (1923-24) Brit. J. Surg. 11, 251. Findlay, C. W., Humphreys, G. H. (1956) Int. Abstr. Surg. 103, 65. Gardner, C. E. (1950) Ann. Surg. 131, 879. Hart, D. (1934) Arch. Surg. 29, 942. Kent, K. H., Raszkowski, H. J. (1959) Gastroenterology, 36, 633. Manson, G. (1954) J. Pediat. 45, 214. Snyder, W. H., Chaffin, L. (1956) Surg. Clin. N. Amer. 36, 1479. -
Preliminary Communication VACCINIA AND HUMAN BLOOD-GROUP-A
SUBSTANCE Pettenkofer and Bickerich1 recently suggested an antigenic affinity between on the one hand vaccinia virus and human blood-group-A substance and on the other Pasteurella pestis and human blood-group-H substance. This led to speculation 2-5 on the possible implication that these relationships might have helped to determine the present-day geographical distribution of the ABO bloodgroups. We were so impressed with the potential anthropological importance of this work that we decided to attempt to confirm some of the experimental data. By a technique comparable to that of Pettenkofer and Bickerichwe have immunised rabbits with a heat-treated soluble antigen prepared from egg-grown vaccinia virus, " Lister " strain. The results are shown in the accompanying table. The significant rise in anti-A titre in seven out of nine rabbits confirmed the observations of the German workers. The magnitude of the effect is, however, smaller than that previously obtained6with an antigenic A substance of human origin. Nevertheless slightness of effect does not preclude a significant determinant influence in terms of gene frequencies. More serious is the objection that the results obtained might be due to the presence of an A-like substance in the eggs used for virus culture.7 This objection has been met 5; but, since previous workers8 have detected some inhibition of anti-A sera by " ovomucoid ", we are pursuing the issue further. Preliminary inhibition tests indicate that an A-like material can be detected in heat-treated soluble antigens of egg-grown vaccinia virus but not in similar materials prepared from normal eggs. We are, however, attempting by chemical methods to isolate material from normal eggs which exhibit human blood-group-A activity, and to demonstrate such substances serologically by rabbit immunisation. The protection of a susceptible animal to poxvirus infection is thought to be due to a neutralising antibody which can be induced only by an active virus infection. In our opinion, therefore, the critical experiment will be the attempted in-vitro neutralisation of vaccinia virus with anti-A rabbit sera, prepared in such a way as to exclude the presence of antibodies to vaccinia virus. Even should it prove possible to neutralise vaccinia virus with 1. Pettenkofer, H. J., Bickerich, R. Zbl. Bakt. 1960, I Orig., 179, 433. 2. Vogel, F., Pettenkofer, H. J., Helmbold, W. Acta genet. 1960, 10, 267. 3. Pettenkofer, H. J. Int. Congr. Blood Transfus. 1961, p. 154. 4. Vogel, F. Int. Conf. hum. Genet. 1961 (in the press). 5. Pettenkofer, H. J., Stöss, B., Helmbold, W., Vogel, F. Nature, Lond. 1962, 193, 445. 6. Morgan, W. T. J., Watkins, W. M. Brit. J. exp. Path. 1944, 24, 221. 7. Springer, G. F., Wiener, A. S. Nature, Lond. 1962, 193, 444. 8. Bray, H. G., Henry, H., Stacey, M. Biochem. J. 1946, 40, 124.
Degrees of agglutination: 0, no agglutination; 1, a few groups of 2-3 cells; 2, larger groups with many free cells; 3, small clumps visible to the naked eye; 4, massive agglutination.
anti-A rabbit
sera, it would still be necessary to demonthe relevance of this observation to natural infection of man with smallpox. strate
One of us (R.H.) is grateful to the research committee of the United Liverpool Hospitals under the chairmanship of Lord Cohen of Birkenhead, for a grant to carry out this work.
R. HARRIS B.SC., M.D. Lpool Darwin research fellow,
Department of Medicine,
Anthropological Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, Department of Bacteriology,
University of Liverpool
Eugenics Society.
G. A. HARRISON M.A., B.SC.,
D.PHIL.
Oxon.
C. J. M. RONDLE M.A., PH.D. Cantab.
New Inventions A GORDH NEEDLE FOR INFANTS THE small Gordh needle shown in the figure has been designed for use in children. It fits conveniently on the back of the hand of a child aged between 2 and 4, for whom standard Gordh needles are too long. These small needles have now been in use for 9 months, and they have proved satisfactory. They do not become blocked if
properly maintained, and they have been particularly useful in children undergoing cardiac catheterisation. The needles are manufactured by Messrs. Shrimpton & Fletcher, Redditch, Worcestershire, from whom further can be obtained. P T J.T"1)"V P. J. HORSEY M.B. Lond., F.F.A. R.C.S. Southampton General Hospital
information
(N)
(I)
TITRATION OF NORMAL RABBIT SERA WITH HUMAN AND IMMUNB At AND B CELLS AFTER ABSORPTION WITH HUMAN GROUP-0 RHESUS-
NEGATIVE CELLS
REFERENCES
Bennett, R. (1960) Med. J. Aust. i, 460. Brown, R. B., Ross, D. (1951) Ann. Surg. 134, 86. Davies, O., Johansen, R., Goldman, L. ibid. 142, 875. Donaldson, H. H. (1936) Amer. J. Surg. 32, 352. Dott, N. (1923-24) Brit. J. Surg. 11, 251. Findlay, C. W., Humphreys, G. H. (1956) Int. Abstr. Surg. 103, 65. Gardner, C. E. (1950) Ann. Surg. 131, 879. Hart, D. (1934) Arch. Surg. 29, 942. Kent, K. H., Raszkowski, H. J. (1959) Gastroenterology, 36, 633. Manson, G. (1954) J. Pediat. 45, 214. Snyder, W. H., Chaffin, L. (1956) Surg. Clin. N. Amer. 36, 1479. -
Preliminary Communication VACCINIA AND HUMAN BLOOD-GROUP-A
SUBSTANCE Pettenkofer and Bickerich1 recently suggested an antigenic affinity between on the one hand vaccinia virus and human blood-group-A substance and on the other Pasteurella pestis and human blood-group-H substance. This led to speculation 2-5 on the possible implication that these relationships might have helped to determine the present-day geographical distribution of the ABO bloodgroups. We were so impressed with the potential anthropological importance of this work that we decided to attempt to confirm some of the experimental data. By a technique comparable to that of Pettenkofer and Bickerichwe have immunised rabbits with a heat-treated soluble antigen prepared from egg-grown vaccinia virus, " Lister " strain. The results are shown in the accompanying table. The significant rise in anti-A titre in seven out of nine rabbits confirmed the observations of the German workers. The magnitude of the effect is, however, smaller than that previously obtained6with an antigenic A substance of human origin. Nevertheless slightness of effect does not preclude a significant determinant influence in terms of gene frequencies. More serious is the objection that the results obtained might be due to the presence of an A-like substance in the eggs used for virus culture.7 This objection has been met 5; but, since previous workers8 have detected some inhibition of anti-A sera by " ovomucoid ", we are pursuing the issue further. Preliminary inhibition tests indicate that an A-like material can be detected in heat-treated soluble antigens of egg-grown vaccinia virus but not in similar materials prepared from normal eggs. We are, however, attempting by chemical methods to isolate material from normal eggs which exhibit human blood-group-A activity, and to demonstrate such substances serologically by rabbit immunisation. The protection of a susceptible animal to poxvirus infection is thought to be due to a neutralising antibody which can be induced only by an active virus infection. In our opinion, therefore, the critical experiment will be the attempted in-vitro neutralisation of vaccinia virus with anti-A rabbit sera, prepared in such a way as to exclude the presence of antibodies to vaccinia virus. Even should it prove possible to neutralise vaccinia virus with 1. Pettenkofer, H. J., Bickerich, R. Zbl. Bakt. 1960, I Orig., 179, 433. 2. Vogel, F., Pettenkofer, H. J., Helmbold, W. Acta genet. 1960, 10, 267. 3. Pettenkofer, H. J. Int. Congr. Blood Transfus. 1961, p. 154. 4. Vogel, F. Int. Conf. hum. Genet. 1961 (in the press). 5. Pettenkofer, H. J., Stöss, B., Helmbold, W., Vogel, F. Nature, Lond. 1962, 193, 445. 6. Morgan, W. T. J., Watkins, W. M. Brit. J. exp. Path. 1944, 24, 221. 7. Springer, G. F., Wiener, A. S. Nature, Lond. 1962, 193, 444. 8. Bray, H. G., Henry, H., Stacey, M. Biochem. J. 1946, 40, 124.
Degrees of agglutination: 0, no agglutination; 1, a few groups of 2-3 cells; 2, larger groups with many free cells; 3, small clumps visible to the naked eye; 4, massive agglutination.
anti-A rabbit
sera, it would still be necessary to demonthe relevance of this observation to natural infection of man with smallpox. strate
One of us (R.H.) is grateful to the research committee of the United Liverpool Hospitals under the chairmanship of Lord Cohen of Birkenhead, for a grant to carry out this work.
R. HARRIS B.SC., M.D. Lpool Darwin research fellow,
Department of Medicine,
Anthropological Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, Department of Bacteriology,
University of Liverpool
Eugenics Society.
G. A. HARRISON M.A., B.SC.,
D.PHIL.
Oxon.
C. J. M. RONDLE M.A., PH.D. Cantab.
New Inventions A GORDH NEEDLE FOR INFANTS THE small Gordh needle shown in the figure has been designed for use in children. It fits conveniently on the back of the hand of a child aged between 2 and 4, for whom standard Gordh needles are too long. These small needles have now been in use for 9 months, and they have proved satisfactory. They do not become blocked if
properly maintained, and they have been particularly useful in children undergoing cardiac catheterisation. The needles are manufactured by Messrs. Shrimpton & Fletcher, Redditch, Worcestershire, from whom further can be obtained. P T J.T"1)"V P. J. HORSEY M.B. Lond., F.F.A. R.C.S. Southampton General Hospital
information