The specificity of serological reactions / [Karl Landsteiner].

  • Landsteiner, Karl, 1868-1943
Date:
1936
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: The specificity of serological reactions / [Karl Landsteiner]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    altered serum globulins; their formation therefore should be considered as a synthesis of serum proteins, modified by the affinity of the antigens present in the cells. In this connection it may be pertinent to mention that the formation of immune antibodies is, as a rule, accompanied by an increase in serum globulins as is, likewise, the development of normal anti- bodies in young animals. The nature of the biochemical, presumably constitutional differences which cause variations in the response to antigens has not been disclosed save in special cases where these varia- tions can be explained by the presence or absence of substances related to the antigen in the body of the experimental animal (p. 65).30 The chemical nature of antibodies.—Chemical investiga- tion of antibodies has, so far, thrown no light upon their specific properties. It is not yet decided whether antibodies are proteins whose reactivity is due to a particular assortment of the con- stituents of the molecule—say amino acids or if substances loosely or firmly linked with but chemically unrelated to pro- teins, so-called prosthetic groups, are responsible for the activ- ity or specificity of antibodies. As Marrack holds, the latter as- sumption would less readily account for the specific properties. When the usual methods of fractionating protein solutions (salting out, electrodialysis) were employed, the antibodies were found, and could be concentrated, in certain globulin fractions. Yet it has not been possible to separate the supposed specific parts of the antibodies from protein,31 and when treated with alcohol, acids, alkalis, formaldehyde,32 iodine, digestive en- zymes, or upon heating, antibodies are impaired or destroyed as proteins would be altered under similar conditions. Of like purport is evidence that antibodies can be coupled with di- azonium compounds,33 and that, serologically, they have 30 Cf. (86), (29), (87-89). 31 v. Reiner (90). 32 From preliminary experiments it would seem that formaldehyde also inactivates antibodies directed towyards basic groupings. (Antisera against an azoprotein made from aminoantipyrme.) 33 Reiner; Bronfenbrenner et al. (91), Marrack (92), Breinl and Haurowitz (93), Eagle et al. (123).