Local antibody production against the murine toxin of Yersinia pestis in a golf ball-induced granuloma.

The method of Garra and Baygorria, for localized antibody production, has been adapted for obtaining high-titered and monospecific antibodies against the murine toxin of Yersinia pestis. A hollow, perforated plastic golf ball surgically implanted under the skin of rabbits induced the formation of a granuloma. When the murine toxin of Y. pestis was injected directly into the granulomatous cavity, an increased amount of antibody was found in the granuloma fluid as compared with serum or with serum antibody obtained by conventional immunization. The granuloma antibody consisted mainly of immunoglobulin G, probably produced locally by lymphoid cells of the granuloma. The immune granuloma fluid and the granuloma tissue were rich in plasma cells and lymphocytes. The chemical composition of the granuloma fluid indicated that it was a transudate.