Local Organ Hypersensitiveness

Abstract

The demonstration of the availability of the rabbit's eye for local sensitization by a single antigen 1 suggested the possibility of the production of repeated eye response under appropriate experimental conditions. In order to avoid the phenomenon of desensitization and to work with an eye which might be kept more or less constantly in a condition of sterile inflammation, a “multiple” antigen was used to sensitize the eyes of a new series of rabbits. This was prepared by mixing together the citrated or defibrinated blood of a number of animals along with some other foreign proteins. The first multiple antigen consisted of citrated guinea pig, sheep and pigeon blood, horse serum, 5% casein, 5% egg white, and an anhemolytic streptococcus vaccine. Considering each blood as composed of 2 antigens, serum and red cells, this constituted a total of 10 different antigens. One anterior chamber, or in some cases both anterior chambers, were injected with 0.2 cc. of this mixture after the removal of 0.2 cc. of anterior chamber fluid, as previously described. 1 The local sensitiveness of the eyes was then tested by the separate intravenous injection of each ingredient of the multiple antigen, after the initial reaction in the eye, due to the presence of the foreign proteins, had subsided. The sensitized eye responded to each succeeding injection by a sterile inflammatory reaction already described. The time allowed to elapse between the intravenous injections of each of the separate antigens varied from one to several days. The experimental results obtained in 30 rabbits over a period of 11 months may be summarized as follows:

1. Two tenths of 1.0 cc. of a multiple antigen containing 10 separate ingredients, or in other words, 0.02 cc. of a single foreign protein, when introduced into the rabbit's anterior chamber, is sufficient to produce an altered reactivity of that eye such that when 1 cc. of one of the 10 antigens is introduced intravenously the eye shows hyperaemia of the iris and conjunctiva with, more or less oedema and lacrimation during the next 24 hours.