102 IMMUNO-CATALYSIS 



of the complex enzyme system involved in globulin synthesis. Antigens 

 thus function as extraneous catalytic factors, and not as specific modi- 

 fiers of the cellular proteinases. 



Dougherty, White and Chase (1945) compared the antibody con- 

 tent of normal and malignant lymphocytes. Hemolytic filtrate of 

 Staphylococcus aureus was used as antigen in the immunization of 

 mice. Tumors were transplanted into mice in the middle of, before and 

 following the courses of immunization lasting from 15 to 30 days. 

 Extracts of normal and malignant lymphocytes, and blood sera were 

 assayed for their antihemolytic antibody titers. They reported that 

 the growth of an antibody-containing tumor transplant in normal mice 

 was accompanied by the development of antibody-containing malignant 

 cells. The normal lymphocytes of the host animal receiving this trans- 

 plant likewise contained antibody, "As the growth of the tumor pro- 

 ceeds, increasing number of antibody-containing lymphocytes are 

 formed. Thus, the total quantity of available antibody in the lymphoid 

 structure is dependent upon the number of antibody containing 

 lymphocytes. This type of antibody production, i.e., multiplication of 

 pre-existing cells containing immune globulin, may be a prominent 

 mechanism of antibody production in the normal organism." 



On the basis of the above quotation one may be tempted to postulate 

 that the lymphocytes have acquired the ability to synthesize antibody 

 in the absence of antigen. However, there is no statement concerning 

 the question of the number of transplants one can make before the 

 antibody formation ceases. In conversation. Dr. A. White informed me 

 that the third or fourth transplant ceases to show the presence of anti- 

 body. It would thus indicate that successive generations of lympho- 

 cytes are non-homogeneous with respect to their content of antigen. 

 In the third transplant only a few lymphocytes will contain antigen. 

 That is, the antigen will be so diluted by this time that it can no longer 

 produce a measurable amount of antibody. 



e. Consideration of Antigens as Toxic Agents Causing the Muta- 

 tion of Globulin Synthesizing Enzyme System. Another point which 

 may be worthy of consideration is the question of whether or not anti- 

 gens function as toxic agents or inhibitors of the enzyme system in- 

 volved in the synthesis of globulins. If they function as toxic agents one 

 may assume that they bring about, as stated above, the second type of 

 change in a cell which is of degradative nature. Since this type of 



