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Binding of -Galactosidase by Cells from Germfree Colostrum-Deprived Piglets¹

Department of Bacteriology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024, and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021

Abstract

Cells from the lymphoid organs of germfree colostrum-deprived Minnesota miniature piglets were examined for their ability to bind Escherichia coli -galactosidase (GZ), with a histochemical detection system. From 0.3 to 1.4% of the cells in the various organs bound GZ; the binding occurred rapidly in the cold with fixed cells, and was specific as shown by competition experiments with high levels of GZ, hemocyanin, and ferritin. Since there is no maternal antibody transfer in pigs, and since the piglets were kept free of antigens and of antibody present in the colostrum, it appears from these findings that cells arise spontaneously before antigen contact that are capable of binding antigen. A proportion of the cells has been shown to bind more than one antigen; this binding is noncompetitive, and therefore suggests that the cells bear more than one specificity of receptor.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported in part by Grant 69-1000 from the American Heart Association; Grant DRG 1077-A from the Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Fund; and Grants AI-03439, HD-08957 and NCI-08748 from the United States Public Health Service.

² Training Fellow, United States Public Health Service Grant GM-1297.

³ Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of California at Los Angeles.