Contact hypersensitivity to simple chemicals. Incubation of sensitized guinea pig peritoneal exudate cells.

Abstract

SummaryThe incubation of peritoneal exudate cells in Hanks balanced salt solution at 37 C, causes the release of a factor into the solution capable of specific transfer of contact sensitivity to DNFB. The release of this factor from 17-day cells appears to be complete since neither whole cells nor sonic extracts will transfer following incubation. After incubation, 13-day whole cells will transfer, yet sonic extracts of 13-day cells fail to transfer before or after incubation. The transfer factor is also released from 13-day cells in the presence of the specific DNP-protein conjugate, and in this case again, the release appears complete. DNP-protein conjugate does not cause the release of transfer factor from 17-day cells, nor does incubation in the presence of the conjugate interfere with transfer capability of the whole cell or, possibly, of the sonic extract as seen in one experiment. Transfer factor, when released, is specific and does not possess reactive capacities associated with classical antibody.