A Factor in Lungs of Anaphylactically Shocked Guinea Pigs Which Can Induce Eosinophilia in Normal Animals

Abstract

Abstract 1 . Absolute eosinophil counts of normal guinea pigs were obtained before, and twenty-four hours after, intraperitoneal implantation of lung slices from normal and sensitized guinea pigs, and of lung and other tissues—intestines, uterus, gall bladder, liver, and skin—from guinea pigs which died in anaphylactic shock. Changes in the number of circulating eosinophils of normal recipients were also determined after transfer of lung obtained from the same sensitized donor animal before and after reinjection of the specific antigen, and of lungs from shocked animals incubated at 56 C. for 40 minutes. 2. Transfer of lung tissue from normal and sensitized (but not reinjected) guinea pigs into the peritoneal cavity of normal animals produces a significant, but limited, increase in the number of circulating eosinophils of the recipients. 3. Transfer of lung tissue of guinea pigs which died in anaphylactic shock into the peritoneal cavity of normal recipients produces a marked transitory eosinophilia. 4. Removal and transfer of one lung of sensitized guinea pigs, compared with transfer of the other lung after reinjection of the specific antigen demonstrates that the eosinotactic factor develops immediately after anaphylactic shock. 5. Transfer of intestines, uterus, gall bladder, and liver (compared with lung) of shocked guinea pigs into the peritoneal cavity of normal animals produces a small, but significant, transitory increase in the number of circulating eosinophils in the recipient; transfer of skin in a limited number of experiments appears to depress the peripheral eosinophil count of the recipients. 6. Transfer of lung tissue from shocked donors incubated at 58 C. for 40 minutes produces a less marked eosinophilia in normal recipients than transfer of lung tissue kept at room temperature for the same period.