Abstract
Landsteiner and Lampl 1 showed that new protein antigens could be formed through the chemical union between chemically simple drugs, such as anilin, and a protein. This is true for precipitin reactions in rabbits, as well as for shock experiments with guinea pigs (Landsteiner 2 ). The sensitized animals do not react to an injection of the simple compounds uncombined to protein. On the other hand, they may react to a protein other than the one used for the sensitizing injections, provided this new protein has linked to it the same chemical compound which had been added to the new antigen. It remained to be determined whether the results obtained by precipitin reactions and anaphylactic shock apply to isolated organs as well. For this purpose, experiments were performed with the isolated guinea pig uterus, according to the method of Schultz and Dale.
Antipyrine was diazotized and coupled to protein, after the method of Landsteiner and Lampl. Two antigens were made. In one, the diazo-antipyrine was combined with rabbit serum proteins, and used for injections into rabbits. In another, the diazo-antipyrine was coupled to guinea pig serum proteins, and used for injections into guinea pigs. In this way the interfering presence of antigenic protein was eliminated.
Positive precipitin reactions were obtained against rabbit serum which had been treated with antipyrinediazorabbit protein. Precipitation occurred when the sera were tested to diazoantipyrine-protein antigens of rabbit, guinea pig or egg white proteins. Pure antipyrine added to the precipitin tubes inhibited the precipitin reaction from these antigens.
The uteri of virgin guinea pigs which had been “immunized” to antipyrine-diazo-guinea pig protein were suspended in vitro, after the technic of Dale. 3 Wherever it was possible, each uterus was cut into 4 sections, and each segment suspended individually. Each uterus could be subjected to the following procedures:
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