QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ASPECTS OF THE IMMUNE 

 RESPONSE UNDER CONDITIONS OF COLD EXPOSURE 



William T. Northey 



Department of Microbiology 



Arizona State University 



Tempe, Arizona 



ABSTRACT 



Rabbits have been exposed to lowered environmental temperatures and immunized 

 with various protein antigens. In certain experiments, the immunization and bleeding 

 schedules have also been changed. Serum samples from these animals, as well as 

 a "control" group receiving an identical immunization schedule, have been analyzed 

 by a number of immunological and immunochemical techniques. To detect any pos- 

 sible qualitative differences in the serum samples as a result of cold exposure, a 

 number of analyses have been conducted. Among the techniques used are; Ouchter- 

 lony gel diffusion, immunoelectrophoresisi and starch gel electrophoreses. Quanti- 

 tative differences in the serum proteins have been studied by a determination of 

 A/G ratios and by a comparison of the serum globulins by paper electrophoresis. 

 Precipitin titrations on rabbit sera have been conducted using the ring test, and total 

 antibody nitrogen has been measured by the quantitative precipitin technique. 



It may seem unusual to many in this group that Arizona State 

 University, which is located in the heart of the Sonoran desert, 

 would be an institution in which studies concerned with "cold stress" 

 are conducted. However, forthepasttwo years, including the months 

 of June, July and August when the outside temperature exceeds 

 37.7*"* C almost daily, we have, through the marvels of modern day 

 refrigeration, continued our studies into the immunological aspects 

 of this fascinating and challenging problem. 



Many observations concerning the influence of environmental 

 temperature have been made on experimental animals and human 

 beings as well. But the seasonal incidence of many diseases has 

 never been explained, although it has been suggested by some in- 

 vestigators that environmental temperatures may influence the 

 frequency with which a disease may occur, as well as the severity 



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