Heterogeneity of Rabbit Anti-Ovalbumin Antibodies Sensitizing Human, Guinea Pig and Rabbit Skin

Abstract

Summary Three groups of rabbits were injected with five-times recrystallized ovalbumin. One group received soluble ovalbumin, the second alumprecipitated ovalbumin, and the third ovalbumin in complete Freund's adjuvant. The developmental courses of human, guinea pig and rabbit skin-sensitizing antibodies were followed, and representative sera were fractionated by electrophoresis and by Sephadex G 200. The effect of heating at 56°C for 4 hr was also studied. Rabbit anti-ovalbumin antisera are capable of sensitizing human, guinea pig and rabbit skin. A different antibody sensitizes the skin of each of the three species. Human SSA was best stimulated by antigen in Freund's adjuvant, was first detectable at 3 to 4 weeks and peaked at 10 to 12 weeks. It is only alightly affected by heat, is fast-moving electrophoretically and elutes with the ascending 7 S peak from Sephadex G 200. Guinea pig PCA antibody was produced effectively by each immunization technique used, appeared early and continued at high titer for several months. It is heat stable, is slow-moving electrophoretically and coincides with the 7 S peak from Sephadex G 200. Rabbit homologous PCA antibody was best stimulated by alum-precipitated ovalbumin, was demonstrable at 2 weeks and was usually sustained for several months. This antibody is affected but not destroyed by heat, is fast-moving electrophoretically, and elutes with the ascending 7 S peak from Sephadex G 200. The GPPCA appears to coincide with the IgG immunoglobulin class, confirming the results of others (12, 13). The immunoglobulin class or classes of HSSA and RaPCA antibodies have not been identified in these studies, but are fast-moving electrophoretically and are perhaps slightly larger in size than IgG immunoglobulins. In this system, the P-K reaction is not comparable to PCA in the guinea pig.