Immunogenicity of macrophage RNA and its properties.

Date on the ability of ribonucleic acid, extracted from antigenically stimulated macrophages, to transform normal spleen cells into immunocompetent cells are reported, along with some properties of the same ribonucleic acid. It was observed that: 1 - RNA isolated from antigenically stimulated macrophages may transform normal spleen cells into immunocompetent cells.2 - Antibodies formed by these cells belong to the IgM class.3 - The average value of the ribonucleic acid from normal and stimulated macrophages is of about 5 mug/10(6) cells. 4 - RNA isolated from stimulated macrophages is richer in guanidine, but it contains less uracil in comparison with the ribonucleic acid isolated from the normal (not stimulated) macrophages. 5 - The curves obtained after sedimentation and fractionation of the ribonucleic acid isolated from normal and stimulated macrophages on the methylalbumin column are equal (identical) and contain 3 fractions with sedimentation constants 4-5S, 16S and 28S.6 - The antigenic determinants of the IgG are attached exclusively on the adenylic nucleotide of macrophagic ribonucleic acid, less on the guanidylic and cytidylic nucleotide and are not bound to uracyl nucleotide. The role of macrophagic ribonucleic acid, in the mechanism of antibody formation is discussed.