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Instillation of the goat's mammary gland with Neisseria gonorrhoeae colony type Tl has elicited an antibody response in the goat milk serum (GMS). Purification, and characterization of the GMS by gel filtration, electrophoresis, immunodiffusion, analytical ultracentrifugation. And serological analyses demonstrated that the active immune component was mainly in the IgA and IgG fractions (F2 and F3) of GMS.

Specific immune globulins have been prepared in goat milk in response to the intramammary gland instillation of Neisseria meningitidis 608, serogroup B strain. Isolation, purification, and characterization of the goat whey by gel filtration, electrophoresis, and analytical ultracentrifugation demonstrated that the active immune component resided in the IgA class of globulins, specifically 9.2-S IgA. The potential of the lactating mammary gland as a "biological factory" for the large-scale production of diagnostic antiserum to killed bacterial whole cell antigen is described.

Goat milk was obtained from the right lactiferous sinus following instillation of PR8 influenza type A virus. The proteins precipitated from goat milk serum by (NH4)2SO4 were found to contain antibody activity and further purification was undertaken. In the development of the method the protein solutions were subjected to paper chromatography and paper and polyacetate high voltage electrophoresis, both before and after a number of isolation and purification steps. In addition, preparations from each step were run on the Technicon amino acid analyzer for the presence of amino acids and (or) peptides.As a working procedure, a preparation obtained after cold acetone precipitation was subjected to rivanol treatment, and after electrophoresis a single protein band containing the antibody was obtained. This material was further purified by gel filtration using a Bio-Rad P150 column. The antibody containing protein was finally isolated in the eluate by a fraction collector using phosphate buffer as the eluting fluid. There was excellent recovery of the antibody activity in each preparation.

The study reported in this article relates to the instillation of three viruses into the mammary glands of goats. The PR8 strain of influenza A virus (Myxovirus influenzae) and mumps virus (Myxovirus parotidis) replicated in the gland and antibody formation occurred in a few days. Adenovirus 3 failed to replicate but repeated instillations led to antibody synthesis.The antibody of each was concentrated. Influenza PR8 was found to possess two activities, complement fixing which gave reactions with all strains of type A examined, and neutralizing antibody which was specific for the PR8 strain.In the case of adenovirus 3, the milk contained neutralizing antibody only. It was specific for adenovirus 3.Mumps virus replicated in the gland and antibody formation followed. The properties of this antibody have not been studied.