Abstract
It was tentatively concluded from previous data from this laboratory 1 that the heterophile relationships between certain natural antigens are not necessarily the same in local and systemic specific immune reactions. We have extended these comparisons to include the known common or heterophile factor in certain artificial protein-crystalloid conjugates.
The native proteins selected for this comparison were horse serum (HS), cow serum (CS) and egg-white (EW). These proteins were benzoylated by the technic outlined previously, 2 the quantitative relationships being such that the average protein molecule of the final product (BHS, BCS, BEW) is the “carrier” of approximately 25 benzoyl radicals. Ophthalmic sensitivity was induced by the Seegal technic; unilateral injection into the anterior chamber of the rabbit eye. The subsequent local allergic test was made by intravenous injection, doses, time intervals and anaphylactic criteria being the same as those used by the Seegals. 3
Preliminary tests showed that the 3 native proteins (HS, CS and EW) are strictly specific in their ophthalmic antigenicity when tested by the Seegal technic, no demonstrable cross-reaction or cross-desensitization being noted in 27 control tests. A series of 36 tests with the benzoylated proteins is recorded in Table I, the recorded data in each case being a composite picture of 4 parallel tests with different rabbits. No suggestion of a benzoyl cross-reaction is apparent from this table. Since the recorded reactions were independent of the order in which the tests were made on the same rabbit, there is no suggestion of a benzoyl cross-desensitization.
A second series of tests was made of the possible cross-reactions between the native and partially benzoylated protein “carriers”. Eyes locally sensitized to BEW, for example, were found to react with equal severity to intravenous injection with BEW or EW, if the tests are made in this order (Table II). Eyes locally sensitized to EW, however, react with full severity to EW; but do not react on subsequent test 24 hours later with BEW. There is, therefore, a distinct “carrier” cross-reaction between the native and benzoylated proteins, the benzoylated “carrier”, however, apparently serving as an ineffective desensitizing agent for the native protein.
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