The effect of isoantibody on the respiration of IC-strain lymphosarcoma cells "in vitro".

Abstract

1. The respiration of IC strain lymphosarcoma ascites cells (LS 1/IC) examined in vitro is strongly inhibited in the presence of cytotoxic isoantibody and complement. The respiratory changes can be easily measured with a Clark microelectrode connected to a GME oxygraph. 2. This respiratory inhibition is specific for an antibody-antigen reaction which involves cellular antigens and consumes complement. The phenomenon cannot be observed with normal allogenic mouse serum, complement controls or immune sera without complement. 3. The results of the oxygraphic assay are only roughly comparable to those of the classical cytotoxic test. This is probably due to the engagement of internal cell-membrane antigens (mitochondria) in the immunological reaction, whereas the trypan blue staining reveals only antigens on the external membrane. 4. An attempt has been made to relate the respiratory curves from different oxygraphic assays to the quantity of isoantibody in the tested immune sera. 5. The advantages of the oxygraphic assay (as compared with the classical cytotoxic test) are simplicity, rapidity, reliance, absence of subjective microscope reading, and a reduction in the number of test cells needed.