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Guinea pig 7Sγ1 antibodies were demonstrated to mediate passive systemic or cutaneous anaphylaxis; guinea pig 7Sγ2 antibodies were unable to mediate these reactions. Gamma-2 antibodies specifically inhibited passive cutaneous anaphylactic reactions provoked by gamma-1 antibodies by competing for antigen. However, gamma-2 antibodies were unable to inhibit passive cutaneous sensitization of guinea pigs by a heterologous antibody system. Guinea pig 7Sγ2 antibodies appear to lack receptors for fixation to guinea pig tissues and do not compete with sensitizing antibody for receptor sites.

Animals were orally immunized with horseradish peroxidase and bovine serum albumin, and absorption of these antigens was studied. In comparison with controls, a consistent and significant decrease in peroxidase uptake was noted in both germ-free and conventional rats immunized with peroxidase; a similar decrease in serum albumin uptake was also noted in animals immunized with serum albumin. There was no difference in the uptake of an unrelated macromolecule. These observations suggest that local immunization interferes specifically with the intestinal uptake of macromolecular antigens.

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Guinea pigs hyperimmunized with single protein antigens or hapten conjugates emulsified in complete adjuvants produced two types of precipitating antibodies with different electrophoretic mobilities. "Slow" migrating antibody generally appeared earlier and "fast" migrating antibody later in the course of immunization. Animals initially immunized by the intraperitoneal route with hapten conjugates without adjuvants produced primarily fast migrating antibody. Purified guinea pig antibodies were also separable into slow and fast migrating components by electrophoresis in supporting media. Using suitable antisera prepared in rabbits hyperimmunized with guinea pig serum, it was demonstrated that slow and fast antibodies have both common and distinct antigenic determinants. Analytical ultracentrifugation disclosed that both antibodies have sedimentation coefficients of approximately 7S. These antibodies have been designated guinea pig 7Sγ1 and 7Sγ2.

Nitric oxide (NO) reduces airway tone in the methacholine-treated guinea pig. We examined whether low levels of inhaled NO gas would relax airway smooth muscle tone in patients with mild asthma subjected to methacholine-induced bronchospasm. Thirteen adult volunteers with mild asthma inspired increasing concentrations of methacholine until their baseline forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1, 3.29 +/- 0.17 L, mean +/- SEM) decreased by > or = 20% (2.33 +/- 0.18 L, p < 0.01). Thereafter, they sequentially inhaled 100 parts per million (ppm) NO, 40% O2; 40% O2; and 100 ppm NO, 40% O2 while spirometry was performed. Subsequent inhalation of isoproterenol returned the FEV1 levels to baseline. Inhaling 100 ppm NO increased FEV1 to 2.66 +/- 0.18 L (p < 0.01), and this increase was maintained after NO was discontinued. FEV1 did not change during the second period of NO inhalation. Similar results were observed for vital capacity, but no significant effect was noted on forced expiratory flow at 25% of vital capacity or peak expiratory flow. Subjects were then divided into a responder subgroup, which showed a mean increase in FEV1 after initial NO inhalation of 560 +/- 150 ml, and a nonresponder subgroup, which showed a mean increase in FEV1 of 129 +/- 29 ml. Our data suggest that inhalation of nitric oxide by patients with mild asthma with methacholine-induced bronchospasm results in a minor but significant relaxation of airway tone.

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