Studies in synthetic immunochemistry

Abstract

II. O-[beta]-Glucosido-[image]-carbobenzyloxy derivatives (cf. Glutton et al., Biochem. J. 1937, 31, 764) were prepared from horse serum albumin and globulin and from crystalline insulin. Immunological study shows the albumin and globulin derivatives to be powerful antigens in which the specificities of the original proteins are completely masked. Inhibition expts. show that the new specificity is conditioned exclusively by the [beta]-phenolic glucoside linkage of the hapten group. Antisera against the gelatin and insulin derivatives fail to precipitate with the homologous antigens; they precipitate, with the derivative of globulin, and anti-serum against the latter precipitate with the gelatin and insulin compounds themselves. Coupling with glucosido-tyrosine evidently converts both gelatin and insulin into full antigens.[long dash]III. The general method of Clutton et al. (Biochem. J. 1937, 31, 764) was applied to the prep. of thyroxyl derivatives of horse serum albumin and globulin and of thyroglobulin. The products are powerful antigens, their serological properties being specifically detd. by the iodine-containing groups introduced which act as haptens; in so far as thyroxine is concerned the hapten property is a function of the whole aromatic portion of the molecule and not of the diiodophenolic group alone. Antisera raised against the thyroxyl derivatives of serum globulin and thyroglobulin react not only with the homologous antigens but also with thyroglobulin itself. Passive immunization of rats with such antisera protects the animals against the normal physiological effects of exogenously administered thyroglobulin or thyroxine. The possible general implications of the latter observation are discussed.