Effect of Monoenergetic 14-MeV Neutron and Mixed Gamma-Neutron Radiations on Immunoelectrophoretic Patterns of Mice

Immunoelectrophoretic analyses were made on sera of C3H mice after steady-state whole-body exposures to <tex-math>${\rm LD}_{20(30)}$</tex-math> or <tex-math>${\rm LD}_{80(30)}$</tex-math> doses of monoenergetic 14-MeV neutrons or mixed gamma-neutron radiations. Marked differences were seen in the <tex-math>$\beta _{2}\text{-globulin}$</tex-math> response of the animals to the two sources during the first week postirradiation as tested by immunoelectrophoresis in agar gel. Monoenergetic 14-MeV neutron radiation at all doses resulted in augmentation of a <tex-math>$\beta _{2}\text{-globulin}$</tex-math> such that the precipitin line extended into the α-region. This qualitative increase was clearly evident by the third postirradiation day and appeared to be at its maximum by the fifth day. In the LD₂₀ groups, there were signs of return to normal on the sixth and seventh days, but the increased component persisted throughout the experimental period in the <tex-math>${\rm LD}_{80}$</tex-math> animals. By contrast, the mixed gamma-neutron radiations produced little change in this <tex-math>$\beta _{2}\text{-globulin}$</tex-math> and that only after 5 days at the higher dose level. Specific staining of the immunoelectrophoretic patterns revealed the affected globulin to be a glycoprotein.