Studies on the Site of Antibody Formation in Rabbits Following Intracutaneous Injections of Pneumococcus or of Streptococcus Vaccine

Abstract

1. The antibody response of rabbits following intracutaneous injections of pneumococcus or of streptococcus vaccines showed three phases. (a) Within 5 to 12 days following a single injection of pneumococcus or of streptococcus vaccine, high antibody titres were detected in extracts from the site of the injection into the skin, the spleen, the bone marrow, and the liver. Occasionally, antibodies were also found in the draining lymph nodes. During this first phase, the titre of the circulating antibodies was low or negative. (b) During the next phase, when the interval between antigen injection and antibody titrations was prolonged from 2 to 4 weeks, the titres of the blood and of the organs showed only slight differences. High titres were observed during this period in extracts from the injected parts of the skin. (c) After a still longer interval during a third phase of antibody response, the serum titre decreased more rapidly than the titre of the extracts from spleen, bone marrow, and injected skin. 2. Similar results were obtained in rabbits following repeated intracutaneous injections of the vaccines. In these rabbits, however, antibodies usually were not detected during the first phase in extracts from the site of the injection into the skin. The repeated injections of the antigen had perhaps neutralized locally formed antibodies and interfered with their detection until an excess of antibodies was produced. No antibodies were found in the lymph nodes of the rabbits that had received repeated injections of vaccines. 3. The antibody titre of the kidney, anterior wall of the stomach, and non-injected parts of the skin was negative or very low. 4. The demonstration of antibodies in extracts from the site of the injection of antigen into the skin and their presence in lymph nodes before they are demonstrable in the blood shows that they are formed at the local site of inflammation. At the same time antibodies are formed in organs that fix antigen, namely in spleen, liver, and bone marrow.

The Mechanism of Active Cerebral Immunity to Equine Encephalomyelitis Virus

“…The concept of the mechanism of cerebral immunity just outlined may appear complex, but it is in accord with generally accepted principles of immunology (16). Local accumulation of specific antibody at the site where antigen is deposited has been described by Walsh and Cannon (17) and DeGara and Angevine (18) for bacterial agglutinins and by Oerskov and Andersen (19) and Hartley (20) for antivaccinial antibody. Similarly, local concentration of neutralizing substances, presumably antibody, in the central nervous system after infection with viruses has been reported by Fox (7) for yellow fever in mice and by Morgan (12) for poliomyelitis in monkeys.…”

Characteristics of Pathogenic Spirochetes and Spirochetoses With Special Reference to the Mechanisms of Host Resistance

“…Chesney (37) has presented evidence for the wide distribution of the resistant state among different tissues after intracutaneous injection in rabbits. However, local resistance might be associated with local formation of antibodies (64) or their concentration in the local inflamed area (137). On the other hand, more vigorous mobilization of physiologically hyperactive cells in a tissue upon second exposure to an organism (127), may underlie the enhanced local resistance to infection.…”