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Ontogeny of the Immune Response

I. Development of Immunoglobulins in Germfree and Conventional Colostrum-Deprived Piglets¹

From the Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Abstract

Germfree, colostrum-deprived miniature piglets obtained by hysterectomy 3 to 5 days prior to term were free of detectable immunoglobulins in their sera and appear to be "immunologically virgin."

These piglets, however, were fully immunologically competent as manifested by an excellent antibody response measurable within 48 hr after the injection of antigen.

This true primary immune response was greater to a single antigen than to a multiple antigen, indicating antigenic competition. In addition, animals exposed to antigens in the diet gave less antibody response when injected with a single antigen than animals not previously exposed to antigens.

The antibody response to a single injection of 10¹² MSP-2 actinophage in 1-month-old piglets was identical to the response in adult sows. This was characteristic of the early secondary response as previously described for the mouse system.

With adequate equipment and experimental methods designed to take into consideration the necessary precautions stressed here, these piglets serve a unique and useful model for study of the ontogeny of immune response and the role of specific as well as nonspecific immunity in host-parasite relationships.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by United States Public Health Service Grant AI-3439-06. Presented in part at the meeting of the American Association of Immunologists, Chicago, April, 1964.