Increased serum antibacterial activity after turpentine-induced acute inflammation.

An acute inflammatory response was induced in rabbits by an intramuscular injection of turpentine. After this injection serial serum samples were obtained and serum haptoglobin levels were monitored. In addition, increased antibacterial activity was measured using a viable plate and photometric growth assay. As early as 4 hrs after turpentine challenge an increase was noted in serum antibacterial activity towards Staphylococcus aureus. At 48 hrs pronounced killing activity was demonstrated against S. aureus and S. epidermidis but not against Escherichia coli or other gram negative bacilli. By five days another serum bactericidal activity was present against Bacillus subtilis. Enhanced serum antibacterial activity persisted for 2 weeks. Partial characterization of these factors indicates that they are probably beta lysins.

An ultrastructural study of avian synovium infected with an arthrotropic Mycoplasma, Mycoplasma synoviae.

Live Mycoplasma synoviae cells in agar base medium were inoculated intravenously into 10 2-week-old chickens. Joint tissues were collected over a 3-week period for light and transmission electron microscopy. In infected chickens, membrane-bound vacuoles of intact M. synoviae cells were seen in the cytoplasms of adipose cells. Cytoplasmic lipid-containing inclusions had accumulated in enlarged fibroblasts in tendon sheaths and loose connective tissue. Synovial cells had proliferated and contained increased amounts of granular endoplasmic reticulum and lipid inclusions. No abnormalities were seen in control chickens. Infected chickens were positive and control chickens were negative for rheumatoid factor activity by two serological tests: tanned cell hemagglutination and latex agglutination tests.

Isolation and identification of human lung tumor-associated antigens.

Three human lung tumor-associated antigens (TAA's) have been identified in soluble and membrane-solubilized extracts of human squamous cell lung carcinoma with the use of antisera raised in rabbits. The antigens were identified and partially characterized by means of an agarose adsorption technique. These antigens, termed lung TAA's 1,2, and 3, are all soluble in 50% ammonium sulfate, are antigenically distinct, and do not cross-react with carcinoembryonic antigen or alpha-fetoprotein. Lung TAA's 1 and 2 are oncofetal antigens demonstrable in soluble extracts from 24-week-old but not from 26-week-old fetal lungs. Rabbit antibodies to these lung TAA's were not adsorbed by types A, B, and O human red blood cells, serum proteins as well as soluble or insoluble lung preparations. Of several commercial antisera to human proteins, none cross-reacted with lung TTA 1, but anti-human liver ferritin cross-reacted with lung TAA 2, and anti-human lactoferrin cross-reacted with lung TAA 3. Lung TAA 1 was partially adsorbed and cross-reacted with certain normal serum or plasma preparations used and appears to be a normal serum protein in Cohn Fraction IV-4. Lung TAA 2 and 3 appear only in lung tumor-soluble extracts, whereas the lung TAA 1 was demonstrable in soluble extracts of breast, colon, cervical and head and neck carcinoma. All may be tumor markers of value in immunodiagnosis.

Single-tube mixed agglutination test for the detection of staphylococcal protein A.

A simple, rapid mixed agglutination test using sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) sensitized with rabbit hemolysin and intact viable staphylococci is described for the detection of bound staphylococcal protein A. Soluble protein A was heat extracted from 50 clinical isolates as well as the Cowan I and Wood 46 strains of Staphylococcus aureus and titered by a hemagglutination test using sensitized SRBC and dilutions of soluble protein A. Protein A could be detected in all of these supernatants including that of S. aureus Wood 46, a strain generally considered to be protein A negative. These organisms were later retested by the mixed agglutination test and even those staphylococcal isolates expressing very low heat-extractable soluble protein A concentrations (1:2 titers) were positive, confirming the sensitivity of the test. In a screen of clinical isolates, only 4 of 235 (1.8%) coagulase-positive isolates were negative in the mixed agglutination test. Of 25 coagulase-negative isolates, none yielded a positive reaction.