Immunopathological Studies of Experimental Prolonged Sensitization

Abstract

This is a report of the immunopathological studies of the correlation between the chronic changes of serum protein, peripheral blood pictures and the morphological changes in the various organs in 30 rabbits, which were sensitized with egg white 2 times a week for over one year. Furthermore the inoculation of the tubercle bacilli of bovine type were performed on the prolonged sensitized rabbits. These results were summarized as follows. 1) The chronic changes of serum protein were characterized by hypergammaglobulinemia which had a peak in the earlier period (till 120 experimental days) and another peak in the later. 2) The chronic changes of serum protein were closely connected with the behaviour of the lymphatic follicles and the cell reactions in the haematopoietic organs especially of the lymph nodes and the spleen. 3) Methylgreen-pyronin staining of pyroninophilic cells indicated a defferent result in the earlier and later period, i, e. those in the earlier stage stained intensively, but weakly in the later and even non-pyroni-noophilic plasma cells were demonstrated. However, many intensive pyroninophilic plasma cells appe ared again in the lymph nodes and spleen of the cases which the inoculation of the tubercle bacilli was superimposed. 4) Nuclear changes in necrotic cells, LE transformation, HX bodies, and onion skin lesions were demonstrated in the group of the later period. 5) Hyperplastic bone marrow, remarkable myeloid metaplasia in the various organs and myeloid leukemoid reaction up to the promyelocytes in the peripheral blood were observed mainly in the earlier period, however, there was hypoplastic marrow in the later period, with single case (285th experimental day) which provided for change similar to myelofibrosis. 6) Experimentally produced Aschoff bodies in the heart have demonstrated, which became more typical form in the later period than those of the earlier period. From the evidences stated above, it may be possible to conclude that the processes of prolonged sensitization were divided into two periods, i.e. the earlier period which is characterized by showing an allergic-hypergic condition and the later having an abnormal immune response.