Enhancement of rabbit homologous skin sensitization by chemical modification of anti-DNP antibody.

Succinylation of a γG derived from an hyperimmune rabbit anti-DNP-BSA serum resulted in the increase of homologous skin-sensitizing activity as measured by the Praustnitz—Küstner technique. Increasing the degree of succinylation yielded a higher percentage of substituted free amino groups and greater anodal electrophoretic mobility. The skin-fixing and hapten-binding activities of the modified preparation were reduced. Further results of succinylation were a loss of both precipitating and complement-fixing activities and a decrease in the heterologous (guinea-pig) PCA activity. Several possible explanations of the enhancement of the homologous skin-sensitization are suggested.