380 IMMUNO-CATALYSIS 



since the prosthetic groups (as well as the corresponding vitamin 

 derivatives) are common constituents of living cells. Failure to bear 

 these facts in mind leads to erroneous conclusions. In this respect the 

 following example is of interest. 



1. Reasons for the Failure to Produce Antibody Against 

 Yellow Enzyme 



Varteresz and Kesztsyiis (1940) studied the antigenic properties 

 of yellow enzyme prepared according to the method of Warburg 

 and Christian (1933). A 2.7 per cent solution of the enzyme was used 

 to immunize 10 rabbits. Each rabbit was intravenously injected suc- 

 cessively with 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg. of yellow enzyme at five 

 day intervals. Twenty to twenty-five days later the rabbits were bled 

 and the sera tested. The effect of the immune sera on the oxygen up- 

 take of the following respiratory system was studied: 



Specific protein from yeast (Zwischen Ferment) -f-hemolyzed horse 

 red blood cells (apparently as source of coenzyme II)+hexose mono- 

 phosphate+yellow enzyme -f- immune rabbit serum. 



In the absence or presence of immune serum the same volume of 

 oxygen was consumed. Substitution of oxygen-uptake measurement 

 by the measurement of the time of decolorization of methylene blue 

 likewise did not show any effect by immune serum. 



These investigators did not report having performed precipitation, 

 complement fixation or anaphylactic tests to demonstrate whether or 

 not they succeeded in producing antibody against the enzyme at all. 

 They explained the failure of any inhibitory effect on the oxygen 

 consumption or methylene blue decolorization by immune serum by 

 stating that "the protein of the yellow enzyme is not foreign to any 

 species of animals." "The structure of the protein of the yellow en- 

 zyme is identical in all the species." These statements are in direct 

 contradiction of the known facts that the specificities of flavo- 

 proteins, etc. are related to the specific characteristics of the protein 

 components. The failure of the above investigators to demonstrate any 

 inhibitory effect by the sera of rabbits injected with their "yellow 

 enzyme" would appear to be due to an unsatisfactory immunization 

 and serological technique. 



