Production of the Shwartzman Phenomenon with a Sulfonamide Conjugate of a Bacterial Filtrate. ∗

A bacterial nitrate∗ of meningococcus, previously shown to be capable of producing the Shwartzman phenomenon, 1 was coupled with paraaminobenzenesulfonylacetylimide† by means of a modification of the original Landsteiner method. 2 The resulting conjugate was a highly colored substance, russet and soluble in alkalis, yellow and insoluble in acids. The conjugate was purified by 10 reprecipitations from sodium carbonate solution using dilute acetic acid as the precipitating agent. The final precipitate was suspended in normal saline and dissolved by neutralization with normal sodium carbonate.

Eight experiments were performed on rabbits. In 4 instances the skin was prepared by an intradermal injection of 0.5 cc of the original bacterial filtrate and in the other 4 by the conjugate. A single intravenous injection of 1.0 cc of either the filtrate or the conjugate was given 24 hours later in each instance. Two hours later a hemorrhagic reaction was observed at the site of skim preparation, reaching a maximum intensity in 4 hr. Either the bacterial filtrate or its conjugate could be used for skin preparation or intravenous injection, interchangeably, for production of the phenomenon. Apparently chemical treatment of the bacterial filtrate in the synthesis of the conjugate did not affect its ability to produce the Shwartzman phenomenon.

The property of the bacterial filtrates to combine with chemicals is comparable with that of animal proteins, horse serum, egg albumen, human serum. Further studies are indicated to isolate the specific components in the filtrate responsible for this combination. These might serve as a further link for the understanding of the factors responsible for human and animal sensitization to protein and bacterial substances.