ANTI-LYMPHOKINE ANTIBODY .2. SPECIFICITY OF BIOLOGICAL-ACTIVITY

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 117  (5) , 1985-1991
Abstract
An anti-lymphokine antiserum (ALKS), which was produced by a 2-stage immunization procedure [of guinea pigs with bovine .gamma.-globulin or turkey egg albumin], was used to prepare Sepharose bead immunoadsorbent columns. Columns made with ALKS, but not with anti-control antiserum, could specifically remove MIF [migration inhibitory factor] activity, but not LT [lymphotoxin], MF [mitogenic factor] or NCF [neutrophil chemotactic factor] activity from activated lymphocyte culture supernatants. MIF, but not LT, MF or NCF could be recovered from the beads by acid extraction. These findings, taken in conjunction with the previously described capacity of ALKS to remove MCF [macrophage chemotactic factor] and SRF [skin reactive factor] activity from supernatants, demonstrate that ALKS, although prepared against a lymphokine preparation with multiple activities, has restricted specificity. Its targets appear to be those mediators that affect macrophages in vitro or in vivo. The capacity of ALKS to suppress delayed hypersensitivity reactions in the guinea pig is consistent with these observations, since the macrophage is the predominant infiltrating cell in those reactions.