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 Wason, W. M. Articles by Fitch, F. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Wason, W. M. Articles by Fitch, F. W.

Suppression of the Antibody Response to SRBC with F(ab')₂ and IgG in Vitro¹

From the Department of Pathology and Argonne Cancer Research Hospital, University of Chicago, ³ Chicago, Illinois

Abstract

The role of the Fc portion of the IgG molecule in antibody-mediated regulation of the immune response is controversial (16, 17). If the Fc portion of the antibody molecule is removed by enzymatic digestion, the F(ab')₂ portion is rapidly excreted by the kidneys and is lost from the circulation in intact animals (18). This rapid loss could possibly account for the reported difference in the efficiency of intact IgG and F(ab')₂ in suppressing the immune response in vivo (7, 17). A tissue culture system avoids the problem of variable excretion. The experiments reported here demonstrate a significant difference in the efficiency of intact IgG and F(ab')₂ (anti-SRBC) (a-SRBC) antibody in suppressing the immune response of cultured mouse spleen cells to SRBC in vitro, and suggest that the Fc portion plays an important role in antibody-mediated suppression of the immune response to SRBC.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by United States Public Health Service Grants AI-4197 and AI-9268.

² Recipient of Medical Life Insurance Research Fund award.

³ Operated by the University of Chicago for the United States Atomic Energy Commission.