Organ cultures inoculated with serum from a hepatitis patient with Au antigenemia

Abstract

Fragments of human inguinal lymph nodes were taken at the time of inguinal herniorrhaphy from four patients, 1–5 years of age. These fragments were placed on human fibrin foam and maintained in nutrient media for up to 18 days in culture. Electron microscopic examination of these explants revealed that lymph node cells were viable and maintained the characteristic morphology seen in vivo. Lymph node organ cultures were immediately incubated with either serum containing the Au antigen or fluid containing herpes simplex virus. After 48 and 96 hours, lymph node explants inoculated with herpes simplex virus revealed that primarily macrophages and reticulum cells, not mature lymphocytes, contained intranuclear virus particles. In one out of four groups of lymph node organ culture inoculated with the Au antigen, the Au antigen was detected in pooled organ culture fluid by agar-gel diffusion and complement fixation. Negative stained preparations of this culture fluid revealed three distinctive types of particles similar to those seen in the serum inoculum. Thin sections of these explants revealed intracellular and extracellular Au antigen-like particles in small numbers. Thus, it was concluded that some lymph node organ cultures may support the production of the Au antigen.