BIOLOGICAL-ACTIVITIES OF CRYSTALLINE PERTUSSIGEN FROM BORDETELLA-PERTUSSIS

Various biological activities of crystalline pertussigen were studied. In mice as little as 0.5 ng of pertussigen induced hypersensitivity to histamine, 8-40 ng induced leukocytosis, 2 ng increased production of insulin, 0.1 ng increased production of IgE and IgG1 antibodies to hen egg albumin, 9.5 ng increased susceptibility to anaphylactic shock and 0.5 ng increased the vascular permeability of striated muscle. In Lewis rats 20 ng of pertussigen promoted the induction of hyperacute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Pertussigen given i.p. was toxic to mice at a dose of 546 ng. Treatment of pertussigen with glutaraldehyde eliminated this toxicity. Mice immunized with 1700 ng of detoxified pertussigen were protected against intracerebral challenge with 3 .times. 104 viable B. pertussis cells. When as little as 0.5 ng of pertussigen was given i.v. to mice, the increased susceptibility of the animals to histamine could still be detected 84 days later. The biological properties of crystalline pertussigen indicate its similarity to leukocytosis-promoting factor, Islet-activating protein, late-appearing toxic factor and mouse-protective antigen of B. pertussis.