Immunological Reactions of the Isolated Carbohydrate and Protein of Pneumococcus

Abstract

In a previous paper on the immunological relationships of the cell constituents of Pneumococcus (1) two chemically distinct substances, namely the carbohydrate and protein of the cell, were shown to be intimately concerned in the serological specificity of this organism.The facts recorded at that time related only to the reactions exhibited by these substances in antipneumococcus serum prepared by immunization with the whole bacterial cell. In the absence of final evidence as to the antigenic properties of these two cell constituents the conclusions drawn were limited to their serological behavior. The observations made then have since been confirmed, and in the present report are extended to include the distinctive character of the isolated substances when each is tested for its function as antigen.

Biological properties of an immunogenic pneumococcal subcellular preparation

“…Experiments are in progress to determine the identity of the protective immunogen(s) in the pneumococcal vaccine. Pneumococcal antigens already described in the literature, which could possibly be the active substance in the PSP-3R vaccine, are C-polysaccharide (24), F-polysaccharide (8, 15), the "nucleoprotein" antigen (3)(4)(5)(6), lipoteichoic acids (7,25), and the uncharacterized R antigen (12,14). However, even if the immunogen proves to be one of these, its presence cannot accoupt completely for the immunogenicity of PSP-3R, since the immunogenicity of the vaccine is sensitive to treatment with ribonuclease (21).…”

Polysaccharide in Delayed Hypersensitivity

“…Freund and Bonanto (22) in 1944 had incorporated pneumococcal polysaccharide (type not stated) in adjuvant containing mycobacteria in efforts to induce antibodies or hypersensitivity in rabbits. Their failure may have reflected the relative inability of this species to respond immunologically to such polysaccharides (23)(24)(25). Failure with type III pneumococcal polysaccharide in guinea pigs was reported by Maurer and Mansmann (26) with small inducing doses (10 ttg) which could have been an insufficient quantity for sensitization.…”

Protection against pneumococcal infection in mice conferred by phosphocholine-binding antibodies: specificity of the phosphocholine binding and relation to several types

“…Tillett showed that immunizing rabbits with a rough pneumococcal strain or heat-killed encapsulated strains yielded heterologous protection (31,32). Others (3,10,11,13) showed that noncapsular structures could induce immunity against several pneumococcal types. Au and Eisenstein demonstrated non-type-specific protection induced with subcellular fractions prepared from unencapsulated pneumococci which was not type specific (1).…”