THE EFFECTS OF CATHODE RAYS ON THE PROTEINS OF SERUM

The effects of cathode rays on the proteins of serum appear to be (1) denaturation of a large proportion of the albumin and globulin with the formation of products that are soluble at the pH of the serum; (2) the production of a tough and exceedingly insoluble substance on the window of the cell where most of the absorption of electrons occurs; (3) a slight hydrolytic cleavage of the protein molecule producing a small quantity of products having properties so near to those of the protein that they are precipitated by trichloracetic acid but are not removed by coagulation at the isoelectric point; (4) the production of a small amount of hydrolytic products not precipitated by trichloracetic acid; and (5) the formation of a small amount of ammonia, part of which at least is derived from the urea in the serum. It is interesting to note that these changes are such as would bring about exactly those effects on fibroblasts which were observed when cultures were grown in serum which had been subjected to cathode ray irradiation. The proteins of serum have a retarding effect on the growth of fibroblasts. We might, therefore, expect their removal by denaturation and coagulation to result in the slightly larger growth which was observed. The production of SH groups in the denatured protein molecule would also tend to have a beneficial effect, as has been observed in experiments with denatured albumin. A concentration of protein split products equal to that in the irradiated sera has been observed to produce cells of characteristic appearance, full of cytoplasmic granulations and possessing long, active pseudopods, such as those noted in colonies cultivated in serum which had been subjected to cathode rays.