Preliminary report: radioimmunoscan of sympathetic ganglia and adrenal medulla.

The nerve growth factor is a polypeptide isolated from the salivary glands of certain laboratory animals. Its greatest physiological effect is on the autonomic nervous system. When antiserum against this nerve growth factor was injected in newborn animals nearly total destruction of the sympathetic ganglia was noted, a procedure known as immunosympathectomy. The anti-nerve growth factor labeled with 131iodine was injected in rats to determine organ distribution at different intervals (2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 hours). A selective concentration was obtained in the sympathetic ganglia and adrenal medulla (adrenal ganglia) 4 hours after the intravenous injection of 50 muCi. 131Iodine anti-nerve growth factor, with a specific activity of 0.001 gm. per mCi., permitted scanning of this structure for the first time. No intolerance or radiotoxicity has been observed in the animals and the results are encouraging. Radioimmunoscanning of the sympathetic ganglia and adrenal medulla in the human and radioimmunosympathectomy of the structures are being studied currently and will be subjects of future communications.