ANALYSIS OF THE EXPERIMENTAL LESION OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE PRODUCED BY A COMPLEX OF C POLYSACCHARIDE FROM GROUP A STREPTOCOCCI

Abstract

Superinjection of group specific antibody or a glucosaminidase neutralizes the capacity of C polysaccharide complexes to produce chronic, remittent, nodular lesions of dermal connective tissue, even when injected 24 to 72 hours after the toxin. The cell wall lysins in Streptomyces albus filtrates and phage-lysed Group C streptococci, which leave the serologically reactive sites on the C polysaccharide intact, lose much of their neutralizing ability when superinjected 4 hours after toxin. Toxic C polysaccharide complexes cannot be recovered from an injection site by intercellular perfusion of the excised skin area after an interval of 1 to 4 hours following toxin injection. It is concluded that toxic particles combine firmly with rabbit dermal tissue within 1 to 4 hours.