抄録
An immune ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extractable from the spleen cells of mice hyperimmunized with live vaccine of Salmonella enteritidis. The RNA was capable of inducing cellular immunity and developing cellular antibody in the peritoneal macrophages of mice injected with this agent. It was found that cellular immunity was detectable even 90 days after injection in the peritoneal macrophages of mice which had received an intraperitoneal injection with this agent. Results of serial passive transfers of cellular immunity through immune RNA led us to the conclusion that this agent does not contain antigen or fragment thereof and may replicate actively in the recipient cells, although the mechanism still remains to be elucidated. The development of cellular immunity by immune RNA was inhibited by puromycin but not by actinomycin D. However, serial passive transfers of cellular immunity through immune RNA was inhibited by treatment of recipient mouse with actinomycin D, implying the role of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase in the processing of immune RNA in recipient cells. Using these results, the role of immune RNA and the possible mechanisms of immune RNA replication are discussed.
