A Study of Arbovirus Non-Specific Inhibitors and Natural Agglutinins in Bovine Serum

In bovine serum, the natural agglutinin for goose red blood cells was shown to be an IgM antibody which differed from immune IgM antibody in its partial inactivation during acetone-ether extraction. Agglutinins active at pH 6.2 were not readily adsorbed at pH 9, they were partially eluted from the red cells at room temperature. Both natural and immune IgM antibodies were inactivated by 64° C. for 30 min., although “7S” antibodies were not affected. Non-specific inhibitors of arbovirus haemagglutination in bovine serum had properties suggesting they were β-lipoprotein. Both low density or less) and higher density (between l-01 and 1-04) fractions caused inhibition. Kaolin adsorption of bovine serum did not remove all non-specific inhibitors. Acetone-ether extraction was the preferred technique, because it removed non-specific inhibitors more efficiently and because it caused partial inactivation of natural agglutinins without affecting immune IgM antibody.