A New Serum Factor in Normal Rabbits

[摘要] The levels of HR activity in normal adult rabbits were not affected by immunization with autologous intact γG-globulin or with the purified Fab and Fab′ fragments of autologous γG-globulin.The effect of immunizing newborn rabbits with homologous γG-globulin or with the enzymatic fragments of homologous γG-globulin on HR synthesis was demonstrated by an increase in the levels of HR significantly beyond the levels found in control rabbits of the same litter at the same age.The induced HR was similar to the naturally-occurring HR in: a) specificity for buried determinants of homologous γG-globulin, and b) specificity for either Fab or Fab′ fragments as the provoking antigens. Of particular interest was the finding that HR for both the Fab and Fab′ specificity was induced in newborn rabbits by immunization with intact γG-globulin.These findings are offered as supportive evidence that HR synthesis is prompted and maintained by antigenic stimuli resulting from degradation products of autologous γG-globulin occurring as early as 4 to 5 weeks after parturition.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）