The Effect of Roentgen Irradiation on Antibody Formation in Rabbits

[摘要] 1. 1. A review and discussion of the literature concerning the effects of roentgen irradiation on antibody formation are presented. Also an analysis of current concepts of the relationship of lymphoid tissue and lymphocytes to antibody-production is given.2. 2. Exposure of rabbits to 250 r whole-body roentgen irradiation results in a marked lymphopenia which lasts 30 to 40 days, and a mild depression of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Injections of antigen 8 hours after exposure to this amount of x-ray elicits an antibody response which is greatly depressed as measured by the titer of circulating antibody.3. 3. This depressant action of x-ray on antibody formation is of a transient nature; the animals regained their ability to respond normally to antigen injection 40 days after exposure to x-ray. Whether this regained ability to produce antibody can be related to the return of the blood picture to normal cannot be stated.4. 4. A non-specific “anamnestic response” of the antibody titer could not be elicited by exposure of the rabbits to either 20 r or 250 r whole-body irradiation.5. 5. Exposure of rabbits to 250 r whole-body roentgen irradiation after the onset of antibody formation, but before a maximal titer is attained, in no way impairs the ability of the irradiated animal to produce circulating antibodies. In spite of marked depression of lymphoid tissue activity, as measured by the level of circulating lymphocytes, antibody-production proceeds at a normal rate, the titers reached being comparable to those of normal rabbits.6. 6. A brief discussion of the experimental data is presented. It is concluded that the depressant effect of x-ray on antibody production cannot be related entirely to depression of lymphoid tissue. An adequate explanation for the remarkable difference in the effect of x-ray on antibody formation depending upon whether it is given before or after the onset of antibody production is not apparent. It is suggested that reserve sources of tissue must be capable of carrying out antibody formation once it has begun even though the major portion of lymphoid tissue has been damaged.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）