New Serological Methods for the Detection of the L.E. Factor

Abstract

In 1955 Miescher succeeded in replacing the morphological method for the detection of the L.E.-factor (L.E.-phenomenon) by a serological one. The antiglobulin-consumption test proved quite useful for this purpose if the “antigen” was applied in the form of isolated cellular nuclei or lyophilized intact leucocytes. This method not only was more sensitive as compared to the L.E.-cell detection method but also made it possible to differentiate serologically the so-called pseudo-L.-E.-phenomena from the true L.E.-phenomenon. Subsequently we were able to demonstrate that human cellular nuclei could be replaced by nuclei from the pig, the sheep, the abbit, the guinea pig, the rat and the trout with the same result. In adsorption tests it was then found that the L.E.-factor was easily fixed by purified nucleoprotein and by desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Corresponding tests, using charcoal, cellulose, Kaolin, diatomaceous earth and Di- galit as an adsorbent were negative, which indicates the specific nature of the adsorption by DNA. Proceeding from these findings, we tried to see whether the L.E.-factor could be detected by means of the passive hemagglutination test, when a nucleoprotein or DNA was used as the antigen. In order to investigate the specificity of this reaction, experiments with ribonucleic acid (RNA) from yeast, with desoxyribonucleoprotein and with DNA from calf thymus were carried out. We should like to report briefly the results obtained by this method.