STUDIES ON BINDING OF SOLUBLE ANTIGENS TO A UNIQUE RIBONUCLEOPROTEIN FRACTION OF MACROPHAGE CELLS

The response of macrophages to an immunogenic synthetic copolymer of L-glutamic acid, L-alanine, and L-tyrosine has been studied. This synthetic antigen is taken up by rat macrophages in vitro and is complexed exclusively to a distinct ribonucleoprotein of the macrophage. This ribonucleoprotein, which has previously been shown to exist only in macrophages, is separable from the rest of the cell's ribonucleic acid by virtue of a unique density in cesium sulfate. Glu-Ala-Tyr can be partially released from the ribonucleoprotein of the macrophage by solutions of high ionic strength. The relation of these findings to those of other investigators is discussed. © 1969, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.