The Journal of Experimental Medicine

Perla, David

doi: 10.1084/jem.60.5.541pmid: 19870320

The effect was studied of additions of copper to an adequate diet on the course of infection with Trypanosoma equiperdum in rats. Copper in amounts equivalent to 0.2 mg. of elemental copper per rat per day during a period of 10 days prior to an induced infection with small numbers of trypanosomes raised the natural resistance of the rat to the infection. The infection was aborted in all instances when the rats were infected by the injection of 2,000 trypanosomes and in 75 per cent of instances when the rats were infected by the injection of 10,000 trypanosomes. Footnotes Submitted: 16 July 1934

Victor, Joseph; Potter, James S.

doi: 10.1084/jem.60.5.547pmid: 19870321

1. Two highly inbred strains of mice of different genetic constitution (Storrs-Little and C58) were used in a study of the influence of hosts on metabolism of cells of transmissible lymphatic leukemia. The experiments were carried out with leukemic cells of transmission Line I as well as with Line M-liver. About 50 per cent of the Storrs-Little mice were killed by each line of cells at this time, while 100 per cent of the C58 mice were killed. 2. The normal lymphoid tissues of the two strains of mice were significantly the same in regard to rates of oxygen consumption and both aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis. 3. Leukemic cells of Line I, growing in hosts of Strain Storrs-Little, gave significantly lower rates of aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis than when growing in hosts of Strain C58. Oxygen consumption was significantly higher. Leukemic cells of Line M-liver, growing in hosts of Strain Storrs-Little, gave significantly lower rates of aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis than when growing in Strain C58. Oxygen consumption was not significantly different. 4. After one to three passages through hosts of Strain Storrs-Little, the cell lines were returned to hosts of Strain C58, with immediate return to significantly the same metabolic rates originally given by each line in hosts of Strain C58. 5. These results lead to the more general conclusions that: ( a ) The genetic constitution of the host modifies the metabolism of the cell line. ( b ) The same host constitution may modify the metabolism of different cell lines in different ways. ( c ) Host constitution does not appear to modify the inherent constitution of the leukemic cells, but acts as a determining environmental factor on their metabolism. Footnotes Submitted: 30 July 1934

Schwentker, Francis F.; Rivers, Thomas M.

doi: 10.1084/jem.60.5.559pmid: 19870322

Rabbits injected with fresh emulsions of homologous brain developed few or no antibodies capable of fixing complement in the presence of aqueous emulsions or alcoholic extracts of rabbit brain. Complement-fixing antibodies, however, were produced in rabbits by means of injections (1) of sterile emulsions of homologous brain which had been allowed to stand at room temperature for 5 to 30 days and (2) of emulsions of homologous brain experimentally infected with vaccine virus. The antisera that were produced following injections of emulsions of autolyzed homologous brain were shown by absorption tests to contain both specific and non-specific antibodies. The specific brain antigen was found to be approximately six times as abundant in the white matter as in the grey. It was almost absent from the brain of fetal and newly born rabbits, but increased in amount with the age of the animal to reach a maximum concentration at maturity. The specific antigen seemed to parallel the myelin content of brain tissue. Footnotes Submitted: 29 July 1934

Poindexter, Hildrus A.

doi: 10.1084/jem.60.5.575pmid: 19870323

There is a thermoprecipitinogenic substance in extracts of the spleen of rats, guinea pigs and rabbits infected with T. equiperdum . It does not appear to be within the body of the trypanosome itself. Antibodies to this heat-resistant precipitable substance were found in the serum of infected animals. The antibody strength seems to be relatively less in the serum of rats than in the other animals but the power of extracts from the spleen of infected rats appeared to be equivalent to the power of similar extracts of the other animals. The antibody titer of the serum of rabbits was greater than in the case of the other two species investigated. This was shown not only by the reaction with the extracts of spleens of the same species, but also by the reaction with extracts of the spleens of similarly infected animals of other species. Footnotes Submitted: 22 June 1934

Dennis, Emery Westervelt; Berberian, Dicran

doi: 10.1084/jem.60.5.581pmid: 19870324

1. Menkin's observations of the failure of inflammatory fixation in areas of acute inflammation due to Streptococcus haemolyticus have been confirmed. 2. The lack of inflammatory fixation in the presence of streptococci is not due to the passive nature of the streptococcus, but may be attributed to the production of (1) fibrinolytic, and (2) antifibrinogenic substances which dissolve the fibrin barrier, or prevent its formation, thus maintaining the patency of the lymphatics and capillaries and facilitating the dissemination of the organisms. 3. The production of fibrinolytic or antifibrinogenic substances, and the invasiveness of a given strain of streptococcus are correlative. 4. Both substances are relatively thermostable. Fibrinolysin is destroyed if held at 100°C. for 1 hour. The antifibrinogenic substance is weakened but is not destroyed under the same conditions. 5. There is evidence that both substances are antigenic, and exhibit some degree of type specificity. 6. The role of fibrinolysin and the antifibrinogenic factor in the invasion of the tissues by streptococci is discussed. Footnotes Submitted: 12 July 1934

Goebel, Walther F.; Avery, Oswald T.; Babers, Frank H.

doi: 10.1084/jem.60.5.599pmid: 19870325

The results of the present study indicate that by means of serological reactions it is possible to differentiate selectively the p -aminophenol glycosides of maltose, cellobiose, gentiobiose, and lactose. The immunological specificity of disaccharide-protein antigens prepared from these derivatives, irrespective of the nature of the conjoined protein, is determined by (1) the glycoside molecule as a whole, (2) the configuration of the terminal hexose molecule, and (3) the position of linkage of the two hexose units in the carbohydrate radical. The specificity of the antibodies induced by the disaccharide antigens appears to be more sharply defined when the configuration of the terminal hexose is of the ß rather than of the α type. Footnotes Submitted: 8 August 1934

Long, Perrin H.; Bliss, Eleanor A.

doi: 10.1084/jem.60.5.619pmid: 19870326

The cultural and biochemical characteristics of a group of minute hitherto undescribed beta hemolytic streptococci from human sources have been recorded and upon the basis of these cultural reactions it is suggested that these organisms may represent new species of the genus streptococcus. Footnotes Submitted: 19 July 1934

Long, Perrin H.; Bliss, Eleanor A.; Walcott, Charles F.

doi: 10.1084/jem.60.5.633pmid: 19870327

1. Minute beta hemolytic streptococci were found to occur from one-third to one-half as frequently in normal individuals as do ordinary beta hemolytic streptococci. 2. They were rarely isolated from the rhinopharynges of individuals suffering from chronic disease. 3. In acute respiratory tract infection other than that due to the ordinary beta hemolytic streptococcus the incidence of minute streptococci was slightly higher than in normal individuals. 4. In acute streptococcal infections, scarlet fever and acute tonsillitis, for example, the incidence of minute hemolytic streptococci did not significantly vary from the incidence found in normal human beings. 5. Minute beta hemolytic streptococci were found in the throats of 33 out of 42 patients ill with glomerular nephritis and in 25 out of 59 patients who were suffering from the various manifestations of rheumatic fever. 6. In glomerular nephritis and rheumatic infection the minute beta hemolytic streptococci were isolated from the throats of more patients than were the ordinary beta hemolytic streptococci. Footnotes Submitted: 19 July 1934

Heidelberger, Michael; Kabat, Elvin A.

doi: 10.1084/jem.60.5.643pmid: 19870328

1. A method, conforming to the criteria of quantitative analytical chemistry, is described for the estimation of the agglutinin content of antisera. Examples are given of the application of the method to various antipneumococcus sera. 2. This new, absolute method is discussed with regard to its relation to the commonly used relative methods. Footnotes Submitted: 4 September 1934

Kneeland, Yale

doi: 10.1084/jem.60.5.655pmid: 19870329

All intensive course of vaccination with the pathogenic bacteria of the upper respiratory tract modified favorably the winter outbreak of severe respiratory disease in an infant population. The incidence of the common cold was not affected. The significance of these findings is discussed. Footnotes Submitted: 26 July 1934