Studies on hypersensitivity. I. Delayed and Arthustype skin reactivity to protein conjugates in guinea pigs.

A study has been made of the immunization of guinea pigs with proteins conjugated with picryl, acetyl and ethoxymethylene-phenyloxazolone groups. Immunization by means of complexes of these substances with anti-protein and anti-hapten antisera have also been studied. Antibody production, anaphylactic and Arthus-type sensitivity and delayed skin sensitivity to the conjugates, to the carrier proteins and to unrelated proteins carrying the same haptenic group have been investigated. Immunization with conjugates is found to be followed by the appearance of delayed hypersensitivity to the protein `carrier' in the absence of detectable antibodies against it, although antibodies are produced at that time against the haptenic group itself. Delayed hypersensitivity to the haptenic group has not been detected at any time: blocking it with specific antibody does not lead to the appearance of delayed sensitivity, but merely suppresses antibody formation against that group. Pure delayed sensitivity has been produced against gelatin, both alone and as a conjugate with picryl. Conjugates with homologous serum proteins are shown to provoke only Arthus-type sensitivity and antibody against the haptenic group. These findings are discussed in view of the light they may throw upon the relation of delayed hypersensitivity to antibody production and upon the process of immunization.