Abstract
In a series of studies on the rate of destruction of antisyphilitic complement fixing substances by heat, recently reported by Kahn and Boyd, 1 it was observed that in practically all cases these substances were destroyed when subjected to temperatures ranging from 60 to 65 degrees C. These results were obtained by heating a number of fractions of syphilitic sera at different temperatures in the water bath and running regular Wassermann tests with each fraction. It was felt, however, that the results obtained with the complement-fixing substances present in the sera of syphilitic patients could not be applied to specific complement fixing substances obtained after protein injections, in view of the fact that, in the former case, the antigens employed were non-specific. This has led us to study the rate of destruction by heat of specific complement-fixing antibodies.
The mode of immunization as well as the complement fixation tests were conducted as indicated in the first paper of this series. The tests were carried out in each case with unheated serum and the same immune serum heated to varying temperatures, beginning with 5 minutes at 56 degrees C. and ending with I hour at 65 degrees C. It was soon found, however, that these temperatures did not lessen the antibody content of the rabbit serum, and that the thermal destructive point of these complement fixing antibodies existed apparently at a higher temperature level.
The sera were then diluted 1-10 with saline in order to raise the protein coagulation level (Eberson) and placed in the water bath for 2 hours at 65 degrees C.; I hour at 70 degrees C.; and 1/2 hour at 75 degrees C.-without any apparent effect on the antibody content.
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