Relationship between Affinity of Anti-Dinitrophenyl Antibodies and Their Biologic Activities

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Abstract
Summary: Affinity of rabbit and guinea pig anti-dinitrophenyl antibodies was measured by equilibrium dialysis and the use of DNPNS dye. Both methods gave concordant results. Both antibodies were capable of sensitizing guinea pig skin for PCA reactions. Only antibodies of high affinity could give PCA reaction with the bivalent hapten, bis-DNP-lysine. Both antibodies gave the same PCA reactions with DNP-BγG and DNP-RγG when these were highly derivated and in excess. With smaller amounts of these highly derivated antigens only the antibodies of higher affinities gave PCA reactions to the same extent, whereas the antibodies with lower affinities reacted only when four times more antibody was used. With the weakly coupled DNP proteins, PCA reactions were provoked only with four times more antibody of lower affinity, and excess of antigen did not increase the threshold of PCA reaction. No difference was observed in RPCA between antibodies of higher and lower affinities. The significance of these results is discussed.