The Effect of Complement in the Neutralization of Mumps Virus

Abstract

Complement as a necessary component of antigen-antibody reactions has been extensively studied in bacterial and hemolytic systems (1, 2). There have been few studies of the role of complement in the neutralization of virus by immune sera, and these have yielded inconsistent results. Gordon (3) in 1925, using vaccinia virus, studied the neutralizing effect of 3 immune sera. Heating reduced the neutralizing power of each serum. In only one of the 3 sera could the neutralizing effect be restored by the addition of fresh normal serum. In 1931, Mueller (4), testing neutralizing antibodies against Rous fowl sarcoma, showed that the inhibition of virus by immune serum could be enhanced with fresh normal guinea pig serum, and that the diminished titer of heated antiserum could be restored with fresh complement. Howitt (5) was unable to demonstrate any effect of complement on the neutralization of Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, and Sabin reported similar negative results with the vaccina virus (6).