Solubilization of lymphocyte and thymocyte antigens by a reversible chemical modification

✍ Scribed by Z. Eshhar; Mira Gafni; D. Givol; M. Sela

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1971
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 756 KB
• Volume: 1
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0014-2980
• DOI: 10.1002/eji.1830010504

✦ Synopsis

Solubilization of lymphocyte and thymocyte antigens by a reversible chemical modification

Antigenic components of the particulate subcellular fraction from either rat thymocytes or lymph node lymphocytes can be obtained in a soluble form by reacting the membrane fraction with citraconic anhydride. As a result of citraconylation, 60-70 % of the proteins became soluble under physiological conditions and this soluble material was antigenically almost inactive. However, after decitraconylation at pH 5 and room temperature, the solubIe protein possessed antigenic activity (10-20 % of the original antigenic potency .of the lymphocytes) as tested by inhibition of the cytotoxic effect of heterologous anti-lymphocyte serum on lymphocytes and by other assays. The soluble antigenic components thus obtained from rat thymocytes induced the formation of anti-thymocyte serum when injected into rabbits. This antiserum was found to be active against thymocytes in the cytotoxic and opsonization assays and to suppress the rejection of skin allografts.