HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Woolsey, M. E. Articles by Mandy, W. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Woolsey, M. E. Articles by Mandy, W. J.

A New Serum Factor in Normal Rabbits

VII. Action of Immunosuppressive Drugs in Neonatal Rabbits¹

From the Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas

Abstract

Newborn rabbits were given various doses of immunosuppressive drugs (6-mercaptopurine, cortisone or cytosine arabinoside) shortly after birth and at various intervals thereafter. The effect of these drugs on the production of homoreactant (HR) was demonstrated by a decrease in the levels of HR significantly below the levels found in control rabbits of the same litter at the same age. The reduction in HR activity was not attributed to an overall decrease in the immunoglobulin synthesis.

Since immunosuppressive drugs presumably alter the immune response at the level of antigen recognition, these findings provide indirect but supportive evidence that HR production is mediated by antigenic stimulation.

Footnotes

¹ This study was supported by a United States Public Health Service Grant AI-07184.

² Recipient of a United States Public Health Predoctoral Fellowship. Present address: Department of Life Sciences, University of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

³ Recipient of a United States Public Health Career Development Award.