Leucokinin, the specific y-globulin that coats the blood leucocytes and is necessary for its phagocytic activity, becomes inactive following splenectomy. It is devoid of any stimulatory effect on phagocytosis. However, the leucocyte is unimpaired. It exhibits maximal stimulation when coated with active leucokinin obtained before removal of the spleen. The level of erythrophilic y-globulin cellulose phosphate fraction 111 in serum T he physiological role of y-globulin proposed earlier (Najjar, 1963) has been supported by recent findings. It was shown that in the blood of man and dog, the erythrocytes and leucocytes possess membrane-bound yglobulin coats. The type of y-globulin is quite specific to the particular cell. The erythrophilic y-globulin which binds to the membrane of the red cell is necessary for the integrity and normal survival of the cell (Najjar ef al., 1967; Fidalgo et al., 1967a,b). It has not been determined whether leucophilic y-globulin that binds to the membrane of the white blood cell, is necessary for its normal survival. However, it was shown that the bound y-globulin, which has been termed leucokinin, is necessary for the attainment of maximum in uitro phagocytic activity of the polymorphonuclear leucocyte of the dog (Fidalgo and Najjar, 1967a) and man .Within 4-8 weeks following splenectomy in the dog, the main serum y-globulin fraction that binds to the erythrocytes, erythrophilic y-globulin, is considerably decreased. Concomitantly, there is also a marked reduction of the half-life of the red cell reaching, in some instances, a level about 50% of the normal value. Several months after splenectomy, there follows a gradual increase of this fraction approaching normal values between the 4th and 8th month. At the same time, the halflife of the red cell also approaches normal values. The main purpose of this paper is to show that 4-8 weeks is considerably reduced with a parallel reduction of the half-life of the red cell. This is in agreement with a similar study reported earlier. Supplementation of both y-globulins by weekly intramuscular injections results in the complete maintenance of normal leucokinin activity, normal level of erythrophilic y-globulin, and normal erythrocyte half-life.following splenectomy, the stimulatory activity of leucokinin on the phagocytic ability of the leucocyte virtually disappears. The leucokinin activity finally reappears and reaches normal values several months after splenectomy. The levels of the erythrophilic y-globulin and the half-life of the erythrocyte were also followed. The results confirm the previous findings of a parallel reduction of this fraction of y-globulin and of the erythrocyte half-life with subsequent simultaneous recovery.
Materials and MethodsMongrel dogs of both sexes weighing 18-25 kg were employed. Splenectomy was performed in the usual manner under strict surgical technic. Blood cultures for Bartonella were taken routinely one to two times monthly and prophylactic procaine penicillin 1 X lo6
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.