Loss of Immune Substances from the Body

Abstract

Summary The paper reported a study of the elimination of “natural” diphtheria antitoxin in human urine. The urines were divided into three classes: those containing no detectable serum protein as obtained from persons whose renal permeability to protein was normal; those containing moderate amounts of protein as obtained from persons (cardiac failure and orthostatic albuminuria) of abnormal renal permeability but with no lesions in the lower urinary tract; those obtained from persons with lesions in the lower urinary tract that might have afforded opportunity for whole serum to leak into the urine without filtration through the kidney. When derived from persons with normal kidney permeability, detectable amounts of antitoxin (0.002 to 0.004 unit per 1.0 cc.) were found only in the urines voided by a man possessing an exceptionally high (15.0 units) concentration in his blood stream. When the urines contained moderate amounts of serum protein, antitoxin was contained if the donor of the urine possessed only moderately high amounts in his blood. The occurrence of antitoxin in urine containing no detectable serum protein is discussed. Data on the daily output of antitoxin showed that elimination by way of the urine can account for only a small portion of the drop frequently observed in the antitoxin content of the blood. However, none of the pathological urines examined contained more than moderate amounts of albumin, and it is suggested that in cases of acute nephrosis or other clinical conditions in which large amounts of serum protein are eliminated, urinary elimination of antitoxin might be sufficient to cause a significant loss in the immunity reserves of the body.