Relation of the Reticulo-Endothelial System to the Formation of Amyloid.

Abstract

In a recent article Domagk 1 states that he succeeded in producing amyloid in the spleen and liver within 10 minutes, by intravenous injection of a large quantity of living cocci into a normal mouse. Furthermore, that he could produce amyloid within 2 minutes in the spleen and liver of a mouse, which had several injections of dead cocci previous to the final intravenous injection of living cocci. He also stated that this amyloid is formed by the phagocytic endothelial cells, and describes changes in these cells before and during the appearance of amyloid in their immediate neighborhood. This amyloid did not react to any of the specific stains (gentian violet or iodine), but showed metachromasia when stained with cresyl violet and giemsa.

In repeating these experiments we injected congo red intravenously shortly before killing the animals, in order to mark out the amyloid. In previous experiments this vital staining has proven to be the most delicate and reliable method for demonstrating the earliest traces of amyloid. 2

We failed to find any traces of amyloid with this method in two series of animals, each consisting of 10 mice.

Many morphological pictures seen in experimental amyloidosis are inconsistent with the idea that amyloid is formed by the precipitation of a substance circulating in the blood stream. They suggest rather its local formation. Experiments were therefore undertaken to find any possible relation between Reticulo-Endothelial Cells and amyloid.

Amyloid was produced in mice by daily injections of a 5 per cent solution of nutrose, as described by Kuczynski, 3 and the R. E. C.∗ were marked out by an intravenous injection of India ink before starting the daily injections of nutrose.