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 Pickard, A. R. Articles by Havas, H. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Pickard, A. R. Articles by Havas, H. F.

The Kinetics of Antibody Production and Affinity in Balb/c Mice Immune and Partially Tolerant to the 2,4-Dinitrophenyl Determinant¹

From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Abstract

A study was undertaken of the kinetics of the immune responses to the 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP) determinant of immune and partially tolerant adult and neonate BALB/c mice. Neonate and adult mice were pretreated with multiple injections of soluble DNP-bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA) to induce tolerance. The immune responses of pretreated mice were compared with those of nonpretreated controls following immunization with DNP-hemocyanin (DNP-HCY). The quantity of antibody was measured by radioimmunoassay and the affinity by equilibrium dialysis against -DNP-lysine. Maximum serum antibody levels were attained 4 weeks after the first and 1 week after the second immunizing injection of DNP-HCY in all groups. Mice made partially tolerant to the DNP determinant as either neonates or adults responded to primary and secondary immunization with DNP-HCY by producing less DNP-specific antibody which had lower average affinity for DNP-lysine than nontolerized controls. However, in all groups, antibody affinity increased with time so that by the 11th week after primary immunization tolerized mice were producing antibody within the range of affinities seen in controls. The implications of these data are discussed and interpreted in terms of an affinity-dependent selection of cell populations during tolerogenic and immunogenic stimulation.

Footnotes

¹ This work represents a portion of a thesis submitted by Allan R. Pickard to the Graduate Board of Temple University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

² Supported in part by Predoctoral Training Grant GM 00983 from the National Institutes of Health.

³ Supported by American Cancer Society Grant T488A and Career Development Award 1-K3-CA-19409-01 to H.F.H.