IMMUNOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF ANTITOXIN PRODUCED IN NORMAL AND ALLERGIC INDIVIDUALS HYPERIMMUNIZED WITH DIPHTHERIA TOXOID

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Diphtheria toxoid was given intradermally to guinea pigs 24 hrs. following the intraven. admn. of antitoxin and the subsequent reactions were graded and measured. The intensity of Arthus reactions was dependent upon the relative amts. of precipitating antitoxin and toxoid. Severe lesions were caused by intraven. sensitization with 0.48 mg. precipitating antitoxin N and intradermal challenge with 0.05 or 0.17 toxoid N. Reactions of lesser intensity were caused by smaller amts. of antitoxin and toxoid. The nature of the antibody used for sensitization was of importance in the severity of Arthus reactions. In contrast to the behavior of precipitating antitoxin, amts. of non-precipiting antitoxin equivalent to 0.48 mg. N did not cause severe Arthus reactions when 0.05 or 0.17 mg. toxoid N was given intradermally. Precipitating antitoxic whole serum is altered by heating at 56[degree]C. for 5 hrs. so that its precipitability is lost without any appreciable loss of antitoxic strength. This modified antitoxin produced Arthus reactions of only intermediate severity in guinea pigs sensitized with 0.48 mg. antitoxin N. When fractions of precipitating antitoxic serum were obtained using a cold ethanol technique descr. by Deutsch, a mixture of the purified gamma2-globulin and the crude albumin fraction heated together at 56[degree]C. for 5 hrs. behaved similarly to whole serum. However, gamma2-globulln alone was not affected by the heating procedure, remained precipltable by toxoid, and was able to cause a severe Arthus reaction following sensitization with 0.48 mg. antitoxin N.