Effect of Vitamin Deficiencies on Serum Complement

In further studies (Prusansky and Axelrod, 1954) on the same deficiency states discussed above the serum complement was markedly depressed by the intrapeiitoneal injection of pneumococcal polysaccharide type III (Sill) followed 1 hour later by the intravenous injection of a neutralizing amount of specific rabbit antiserum. This depletion process was repeated daily for 3 days. The regeneration of serum complement was followed by determining the serum titer 22 hours after the final injection of rabbit antiserum. The rate of serum complement regeneration by the deficient animals was not significantly different from that of corresponding controls. 

A Consideration op the Factors Which Might Be Operative in the Impairment op Antibody Response in Vitamin Deficiencies 

The definitive data presented in the first section of this chapter have established the fact that antibody response, as measured by the content of circulating antibodies, is diminished in a number of vitamin-deficiency states. It is now pertinent to focus attention upon the mode of action of these vitamins. The highly speculative character of this portion of the chapter is due in large measure to our great ignorance of the precise mechanisms involved in antibody synthesis. Various factors which might conceivably influence the level of circulating antibodies in vitamin-deficient animals will be considered in order in this discussion. 

Available methods for the estimation of antigen concentration in various tissues (Dixon et al, 1953 Coons, 1953) could be utilized to fol- 

1954) no correlation could be found between the number of circulating lymphocytes and the ability to produce antibody. 

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