Murine transfer factor. III. Specific interactions between transfer factor and antigen.

The interactions between dialyzable transfer factor and antigens have been studied. Incubation of transfer factor-containing dialysates from ferritin-sensitized mice or ferritin-coated plastic surfaces removed the antigen-sensitizing activity; incubations of the same preparations on cytochrome c-coated surfaces did not. Similar results were obtained when cytochrome c-transfer factor was studied. Incubation on cytochrome c-coated surfaces removed the activity, but incubation on ferritin-coated surfaces did not. Specific transfer factor activities could be recovered by elution with 8 M urea or acetonitrile. The finding of interactions between transfer factor and antigens provides evidence for a molecular basis of the specificity of the immunologic effects of transfer factor. This technique may also enable us to obtain amounts of specific material that are adequate for chemical analysis.