STUDIES OF THE HEMOLYSIS OF RED BLOOD CELLS BY MUMPS VIRUS

Abstract

The relationship between hemagglutination and hemolysis by the mumps virus has been studied under conditions which affect (a) the receptors of chicken red cells and (b) the adsorption and subsequent elution of the virus from these cells. The results show that the hemolytic action of the virus appears to involve some of the same receptor areas of erythrocytes that are implicated in hemagglutination. Materials such as allantoic fluid, egg white, and red cell extract, which inhibit the agglutination of chicken red cells by mumps virus, also interfere with its hemolytic activity. Of these inhibitors, egg white and red cell extract, which are readily destroyed by the virus during incubation at 37 degrees C., exert a greater antagonistic effect on hemagglutination than on hemolysis. Heated mumps virus or unheated influenza virus interferes with the hemolysis of red cells by untreated mumps virus. Though hemolysis takes place during elution of the virus after its adsorption on the red cell, the processes are apparently distinct. The hemolytic activity is easily affected by certain conditions of pH and temperature which have no effect on the ability of mumps virus to adsorb on and elute from red cells.