Cytopathogenic Effect of Antiserum to Human Malignant Epithelial Cells (Strain HeLa) on HeLa Cell Culture

Summary Rabbits were immunized by repeated intravenous injections of culture fluid in which HeLa cells had been grown and ruptured. No anaphylactic reactions were observed with the schedule followed. The serum of the rabbits before immunization showed no untoward effect on HeLa cells in stationary tube culture. After immunization the rabbits’ serum developed the capacity to agglutinate and lyse HeLa cells in culture. In contrast, serum of rabbits immunized with maintenance solution without cellular antigens did not affect HeLa cells in culture. The anti-HeLa effect could be demonstrated inmedium containing either horse serum or human serum. The anti-HeLa property of antiserum could be removed by adsorption with HeLa cell suspension. The reaction on six other tissues of human origin cultured on glass have been tested, but the specificity of the reaction needs further study. The “antibody” responsible was resistant to exposure to 56°C for one-half hour, or for two weeks at 4°C. The anti-HeLa effect was not found to be enhanced by the presence of fresh normal guinea pig serum at 1:15 or 1:20 final dilution. However, in the presence of 1:4 dilution of normal guinea pig serum a predominantly lytic effect occurred when the serum was fresh, in contrast to the agglutination reaction observed in inactivated serum. The possibility of such an anti-tissue reaction should be considered when attempting to produce antisera to agents growing in tissue culture. The reaction may prove useful for releasing parasitic organisms from the intracellular position in tissue culture. It may also serve in studies of host-parasite relationships by employing antibodies to antigens of cellular as well as of parasitic origin.