INHIBITION OF FORMATION OF HYPERSENSITIVITY PYROGEN FROM DELAYED HYPERSENSITIVE CELL EXTRACT BY PROTEASE INHIBITORS IN VITRO

  • 1 January 1962
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 5  (4) , 469-+
Abstract
When extracts from lymphoid tissue of rabbits or grinea pigs showing delayed hypersensitivity are allowed to react with the specific antigen in vitro, pyrogenic substances (the so-called hypersensitivity pyrogen- HSP) are formed. The effect of protease inhibitors on the HSP formation in vitro was studied. Various protease inhibitors added to the cell extract before mixing it with antigen inhibited the formation of HSP; some control substances did not. Inhibitors added to the preformed HSP (i.e., to the mixture of cell extract with antigen) did not affect the pyrogenic activity of HSP. By adding the protease inhibitor at various time intervals after mixing the cell extract with the antigen, the reaction leading to HSP formation has been shown to last a few seconds at 37[degree] and some minutes at 0-1[degree]. The significance of these results on the mechanism of delayed-type hypersensitivity is discussed.