An Attempt to Demonstrate Local Formation or Concentration of Virucidal Antibodies. ∗

Abstract

By the local injection of bacteria it is sometimes possible to show an antibody concentration at the site of inoculation greater than that in the serum. Cannon 1 found that the extracted juice of inoculated skin exceeded the antibody titre of the serum, as well as that of uninoculated skin. He suggests that local formation of antibody in the injected area is in part responsible for the effect. Seegal and Seegal 2 noted that there was a concentration of specific agglutinins in the fluid of the tissues surrounding the anterior chamber of the eye following local injection of typhoid vaccine. They, however, did not interpret their results as indicating a local formation of antibodies. We have attempted in this experiment to determine whether it is possible to produce a local formation or concentration of virucidal antibodies by repeated intradermal injection of herpes virus.

A series of rabbits were given intradermal inoculations of 1 cc. of Frank herpes virus at weekly intervals over a period of 4 to 6 weeks in the same skin area. After 10 to 40 days, the animals were exsanguinated and the inoculated area of the skin as well as some skin on the uninoculated side were excised and the tissue juice extracted following the method described by Seegal and Khorazo. 3 The fluid obtained was usually amber colored, which suggested that little blood was present. Neutralization tests were set up with varying dilutions of tissue juice and immune serum. In each case 0.4 cc. of the dilution was added to 0.4 cc. of the centrifuged supernatant virus suspension and incubated for 2 hours at 37°C. Rabbits were then injected in the cisterna magna with 0.4 cc. of the mixture. Table I is typical of numerous tests carried out.