The Relationship of the Antigenicity, Physical-Chemical Properties, and Polysaccharide-Content of Tuberculins to Their Intracutaneous Activity

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Abstract
Summary: The intracutaneous activity of a tuberculin for human beings is directly correlated with its antigenicity. The greater activity of antigenic tuberculins is shown by the larger number of reactors, by the greater speed in the appearance of the reactions, and by the larger size of the reactions. As many as 100 per cent of the individuals in a rural population with a very low incidence of tuberculosis may react to an antigenic tuberculin if readings are taken six hours after the injections. As a corollary it follows that reactions to human, bovine, and avian tuberculin-proteins cannot be considered as even quantitatively specific unless it can be shown that the preparations have similar antigenicity and are homogeneous. The early six-hour reactions are elicited by antigenic tuberculin-proteins and not by tuberculin-polysaccharides. The protein present in tuberculin-polysaccharides and in tuberculo-polysaccharides is responsible for any skin-activity they may have. Some individuals give six-hour reactions to non-antigenic tuberculin-proteins. The antigenicity of the tuberculin-protein is destroyed when the molecule is degraded by heat to a weight of about 6,000, but for molecules of over 12,000 and up to 36,000 the size bears no relation to the antigenicity. The unfolding ensuing upon the denaturation of the tuberculin-protein-molecule by heat does not greatly affect its antigenicity.

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