The Zone of Localization of Antibodies. IV

Abstract

Summary Antisera were prepared in rabbits against kidney tissue and plasma from the Akm strain of mice and against ovalbumin. The globulin fractions of these sera were radioiodinated and injected into mice of several strains and into rats. It was found that radioactivity localized in the kidneys of the animals receiving the antikidney serum, but not in the kidneys of those receiving the antiplasma serum or antiovalbumin serum. Radioiodide also showed no such localization. This demonstrated that there was some material, presumably antibody molecules, in the antikidney serum and not in the control sera, that localized in the kidney. The localization of antikidney serum was not strain specific since it took place in mice of other strains. It also took place on the injection of rats with the anti-mouse-kidney preparation. The duration of the radioactivity in the kidneys of the mice receiving the antikidney serum was measured over a period of 54 days and the radioactivity carrier, presumably the radioiodinated antibody, had a half life of 20 days. Evidence was also found for the presence of a factor in the antikidney serum, presumably antibody to common antigens, which cross reacted with and localized in liver and spleen, but to a much lower extent than in kidney. In liver there was an initially rapid decrease in radioactivity followed by a subsequent slow decrease with a half life of 20 days. The long half life of the antibody in the kidney and liver was probably due to the inability of this tissue to metabolize the antibody. The half lives of the radioactive carriers in other tissues were blood, 2.3 days; spleen, 2.6 days; and thyroid 6.8 days. Acknowledgement. This work was carried out with the assistance of Miss Beila Sherman, Miss Rhoda Michaels, Mr. Arthur Silverstein and Mr. Richard Clark.