Experimental thyroiditis has been transferred passively by transfusing lymphoid cells harvested from actively sensitized donor animals. Admittedly, for the successful transfer viable cells as well as a correspondence of histocompatibility factors between donor and recipient are required. Recently, Dupuy and Good have reported studies on passive transfer of delayed hypersensitivity to PPD in guinea pigs with plasma or its fractions from BCG-immunized and X-irradiated donors. In their transfer system it was unnecessary to take histocompatibility into consideration. The present experiment was designed to evaluate the capacity of plasma from lethally X-irradiated, thyroiditic guinea pigs 5 weeks after immunization to transfer thyroiditis and related cellular hypersensitivity such as delayed cutaneous reactivity and MIF activity to thyroid antigen. Total 14 ml of freshly collected plasma was injected intraperitoneally into young normal female guinea pig for 3 successive days. Successful transfer of the MIF activity was accomplished in the plasma recipients; the lymph node cells from the 4 recipients posttransfer 9 days exhibited a definite MIF activity and the cells from two of the remaining 3 recipients when assayed posttransfer 15 days showed a stimulation of macrophage migration. Whereas lymph node cells from control animals receiving plasma taken from X-irradiated, CFA alone-injected donors failed to do so. Also, specific cutaneous reactivity could be transferred when tested 8 days after transfer, although their delayed character was less prominent. Circulating antibody to thyroid antigen was not detectable in any plasma recipients posttransfer 9 and 15 days by passive hemagglutination test. This fact argues against the concept of an "activated antigen" in the plasma taken from X-irradiated, sensitive donors. Finally, most of the plasma recipients showed histologically slight focal thyroiditis without disruption of the integrity of the follicular epithelium when examined 9 and 15 days after transfer. However, recipients of control transfers also had somewhat milder thyroid lesions than the former.

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A male patient with paroxymal dyspnea probably caused by occupational exposure to bichromate was presented. Skin test, Prausnitz-Kustner (PK) transfer reaction, patch test, inhalation test and detection of circulating antibody were carried out with bichromate. Results were as follows: 1) Intradermal test and patch test were positive, but only showed delayed type reaction. 2) No precipitating antibody was observed. 3) PK reaction was negative too. 4) Provacation test was positive after inhalation of highly diluted bichromate solution 2 or 12 hours later. From patient's occupational history and above-mentioned allergologic findings, the bichromate-induced asthma was considered. There have been no further attacks since he avoided bichromate.

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Subcutaneous and intravenous injections of 1 ml/kg of hen egg-white (protein content: 10 g/dl) on 85 adult rabbits were carried out twice a week for a month. The rabbits were divided into 3 groups according to the amounts of antibody produced: high titer group (H-group; 58 rabbits), intermadiate titer group (M-group; 20 rabbits) and low titer group (L-group; 7 rabbits). When further sensitization with egg-white was continued, all rabbits belonging to H- and M-groups formed an aseptic abscess (focal lesion) of various sizes in the subcutaneous tissue. Each abscess was aseptically removed, separated into central necrotic (N) and peripheral wall (W) parts, and homogenized in the saline and suspended to 6.0 g/dl in the final protein content, which was referred to as the focal antigens (N and W). To 34 rabbits of H- and M-groups, 17 each, autologous or homologous focal antigen was injected into the muscle of the back at a ratio of 1 ml/kg once a week over a period of 6 to 8 months. The results were as follows. 1) The focal antigen contained some antigenic components of the egg-white, rabbit serum protein and other denatured rabbit tissue proteins. An antibody to the last substances became detectable in over 80 experimental days with the agar double diffusion technic. 2) While the prolonged sensitization with egg-white itself induced chronic glomerulonephritis and amyloid kidney without formation of glomerular hyalinization, the immunization with the focal antigens produced these renal lesions with a much more increased extent and frequency including the glomerular hyalinization. These lesions were classified in 5 types: (a) amyloid kidney (11 cases), (b) focal glomerulonephritis with amyloid deposits (10 cases), (c) diffuse glomerulonephritis with amyloid deposits (5 cases), (d) diffuse glomerulonephritis without amyloid deposits (6 cases) and (e) no significant changes (2 cases). 3) Amyloid kidney was predominant in the H-group (9 cases), diffuse glomerulonephritis with or without amyloid deposits was observed exclusively in the M-group, and focal glomerulonephritis was encountered in both groups. 4) A proliferation of plasma cells in the spleen and lymph nodes was generally more conspicuous in the H-group, especially of cases with amyloid kidney than in the M-group. From these results it is suggested that formation of the subcutaneous Arthus type lesion is influenced by the individual difference of immune response to hen-egg-white. Prolonged sensitization with the focal antigens which includ antigen-antibody complexes and denatured tissue components may play an important role in the pathogenesis of amyloidosis and chronic glomerulonephritis.

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Immunofluorescent studies were performed on the renal lesions in rabbits immunized with the so-called focal antigens. The antigens were prepared from the subcutaneous Arthus type lesions induced in rabbits which had been immunized with hen egg-white. The lesions were aseptically excised and separated into central necrotic (N) and peripheral wall (W) parts, namely the focal antigens (N and W) in this series of experiment. They were homogenized and repeatedly injected again either autologously or homologously to rabbits previously hyperimmunized with hen egg-white. The immunohistochemical features of amyloid nephropathies and glomerulonephritis with or without amyloid deposits were as follows: 1. The basic patterns are granular, nodular and mixed of both types, each equivalent to the histologically defined nephritis, amyloid nodules or nephritis with amyloid deposits. 2. In the early stage of sensitization (40-60 days), granular pattern was predominant in the most animals. In the later stage, in some cases which were high-responders to the immunization with the wall part of the focal antigen, nodular patterns became conspicuous. 3. The granular fluorescence of gamma-globulin and beta 1c was found in mesangium and glomerular tufts. Fibrinogen was sometimes absent. Granules became later coarse or coalesced, irregulary lined, and sometimes disappeared. 4. The fluorescence in the big nodules was generally homogeneous composed of gamma-globulin, beta 1c and fibrinogen. In some cases fibrinogen was entirely negative or positive only on the surface. Some of the smaller nodules were of irregular shapes with an appearance of accumulated granules. In the late stage some nodules were free of fluorescence. 5. Amyloid deposits on the axillary portions of altered tufts were free of fluorescence, although fluorescent granules lined up on the outer layers of non-fluorescent axillary portions. 6. The findings above mentioned suggest possible diversity in pathogenesis and components of amyloid. 7. Rare occurrence of linear fluorescence was observed on the basement membrane of tubules, which are supposed to be occupied with amyloid.

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The atomospheric pollen survey at the 30 m and 15 m high in Minato-ku, Tokyo from February 1971 to January 1972 have been investigated and the results obtained were as follows: 1. The 103 species of 43 families pollen grains were identified and the seasonal fluctuation was similar to the previous report of Tokyo Tower. 2. The quantities of pollen grains of Cryptomeria japonica, Pinus (P.thunbergii and P.densiflora) and Ginkgo biloba were large in the tree season on this survey. The fact of large amount of pollen dispersal of Ginkgo biloba have not been reported on the previous works of pollen survey in Japan. 3. The advantage of new preparation medium GV-glycerin jelly for atomospheric pollen survey was described.

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Clinical, statistical studies were made on a total of 1245 patients of bronchial asthma encountered at five clinics of internal medicine and pediatrics located in the Tokai District in the last two years. 1) The subjects comprised 746 male patients (59.9%), and 499 females (40.1%). The patients who belonged to the age group of 0 to 10 years constituted the largest part, viz., 28.3%, and those in the age group of not younger than 60 years constituted the smallest part, viz., 50%. 2) The disease developed by the age of 10 years in 45.6% of all subjects, and the highest incidence was found in the age group of 1, 2 and 3 years, including the 0 year. 3) The season when the attack was mostly likely to occur after the development of the disease was common with children and adults, viz., the autumn, and the highest peak in the hours of the day when the attack was most likely to occur was found between the midnight and the dawn, irrespective of children or adults. 4) Coldness was ranked atop the climatic inducing causes for both children and adults. Physical exercise was ranked atop, the physical inducing causes for children, and fatigue for adults. 5) Among anamnesis, allergic skin diseases were rated higher in children than in adults. The family history proved the presence of some allergic diseases or another in 58.6% of all subjects. In the foregoing is described the actual status of the patients of bronchial asthma in three prefectures in the Tokai District, viz., Aichi, Gifu and Mie.

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