Denaturation of Lysozyme by Freund's Complete Adjuvant

Abstract

Abstract Reduction and alkylation of the disulfide bonds of lysozyme results in a molecule which does not cross-react with the native molecule at the humoral level. Nevertheless, antilysozyme antisera induced with the aid of Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) can be shown to react with the denatured form (CM-lysozyme), whereas antilysozyme antisera induced in the absence of adjuvant do not react with CM-lysozyme. The reaction of adjuvant-induced antilysozyme antisera with CM-lysozyme cannot be inhibited by lysozyme, indicating that the reaction is non-cross-reactive in nature. It is postulated that the antibodies involved arose in response to denatured forms in the immunogen, which in turn arose during emulsification in FCA.