On the Specifity of Differences in the Capacity of Antisera and Normal Sera to Combine with Chemical Allergens

Abstract

Rabbits were sensitized with iodine, potassium iodide, bromine, arsenious acid, nickel sulfate, potassium bichromate or mercuric chloride, and 2 weeks later skin-sensitizing antibodies in the serum were measured with corresponding allergens by the dilution method. To detect the specifity of the difference between the normal serum and the antiserum in the capacity to combine with the 7 chemical allergens, a definite amount of a corresponding antigen or each of the 5 other allergens was added to the serum contained in 7 test tubes. Then the mixture was placed in the cellophane sac, dialyzed against phosphate buffer solution in the ice-box for 5 days, and the chemical substance remaining in the sac was determined by a colorimetric method. The results disclosed that the anti-iodine, anti-bromine, anti-arsenious-acid, anti-potassium-bichromate and anti-mercuric-chloride serums showing high titers of antibodies exhibited specifity of the difference in the combining capacity, i.e., a tendency was noted that a stronger combining ability of an antiserum was definitely shown only with its corresponding allergen. But the anti-potassium-iodide and anti-nickel-sulfate serums that showed comparatively low titers of antibodies failed to indicate such specifity.