Induction of anti-phosphorylcholine antibodies of restricted heterogeneity in rabbits

Abstract

Repeated injections in rabbits of pneumococcal vacxine strains R 36 A induce antibodies of restricted heterogeneity as evidences by electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. An immunoadsorbent containing purified C-polysaccharide was used to isolate and characterize the induced antibodies. Specificity for phosphorylcholine was demonstrated by hapten elution and by inhibition of precipitation. Addition of the ligand caused an enhancement of the intrinsic fluorescence of the anti-phosphorylcholine antibodies. The association constants determined by fluorometric titration were of the order of 10³M⁻¹ and were only slightly influenced by temperature.