Abstract: Antigen specific excreted transfer factor may be obtained by collecting material, e.g. colostrum or milk, secreted by the mammary gland of a suitable lactating mammal, e.g. a cow having immunity to the antigen under suitable conditions such that materials which interfere with transfer factor efficacy are removed so as to obtain transfer factor. Colostrum or milk so collected may be used directly, typically after sterilization, or may be treated to further concentrate and/or purify transfer factor. Treatment to yield colostral whey containing transfer factor is presently the preferred method for obtaining transfer factor for use in conferring immunity against diseases associated with antigens for which the transfer factor is specific. Cell-associated transfer factor specific for an antigen may also be obtained by incubation release from, or lysis of, cells obtained from the collected material.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for quantifying in vitro various parameters related to the use of transfer factor (e.g., dialyzable leukocyte extract containing transfer factor) in the therapeutic and/or prophylactic treatment of patients having antigen-selective defects in cell mediated immunity, so as to standardize such parameters, predict or estimate therefrom the effectiveness of such treatment in vivo, determine optimum dosages and/or administrative regimens therefor and monitor the progress of patients receiving such treatment.In one embodiment of the invention, the quantification of the various parameters is based upon in vitro assays which measure mediators of cellular immunity produced and released by appropriate leukocytes (e.g., those of the patient before treatment, those of potential donors, those of target cells, those of the patient after treatment with transfer factor, and the like) sensitized to a specific antigen.

Abstract: An immunologic method has been devised enabling diagnosis of patients with cystic fibrosis, as well as asymptomatic carriers of the cystic fibrosis gene. Mono-specific antibody to Cystic Fibrosis Protein (CFP) is inserted into a first position on an electrophoresis plate. A body fluid from the subject to be tested is placed into a second position on the plate. An electrical potential is imposed across the positions with the anode being adjacent to the section containing the serum and the cathode being adjacent to the section containing the antibody. The presence of Cystic Fibrosis Protein is indicated by one or more precipitation zones forming where the body fluid proteins meet the antibody due to movement induced by an applied electrical potential. The relative position of the precipitation zone between the first and second positions, or the area of the precipitation zone, indicates a concentration of the Cystic Fibrosis Protein.