The dissociability of different poliovirus-antibody complexes as tested by hypertonic salt solutions

Abstract

The dissociability of complexes formed by poliovirus and early 19Sγ1and late 7Sγ2-globulin antibody respectively was studied by the use of hypertonic sodium chloride solutions (0.6–5.0 M). The effect of high ionic strength on the neutralization kinetics was also investigated. Complexes of poliovirus and early rabbit 19Sγ1-globulin antibody were dissociated by hypertonic salt solutions; the dissociation being proportional to the hypertonicity. Complexes of virus and late 7Sγ2-globulin antibody did not dissociate in the same hypertonic milieu. In a hypertonic environment the neutralization reaction rate was reduced and equilibrium was reached at high levels of surviving virus. Following a change from iso- to hypertonic milieu the reaction between virus and 19Sγ1-globulin antibody rapidly reached a new level of equilibrium equal to that established when the reaction proceeded in this hypertonicity from its start. The same change in tonicity evoked no shift in the state of equilibrium established by virus and late 7Sγ2-globulin antibody.