The Effect of Antigenic Competition on Antibody Production to Heterologous Proteins, Termination of Immunologic Unresponsiveness and Induction of Autoimmunity

Summary

Antibody production to protein antigens, termination of acquired immunologic unresponsiveness and the production of autoantibody were inhibited in rabbits as the result of antigenic competition. In some cases the rabbits failed to make a detectable immune response and were unresponsive to a subsequent injection of the antigen given at a later time. The degree of inhibition of the immune response depended on the relative antigenicity of the competing antigens. Inhibition of antibody production did not occur in rabbits rendered specifically unresponsive to the competing antigen. Antigenic competition markedly inhibited the production of circulating antibody to thyroglobulin in rabbits immunized with arsanil-sulfanil-thyroglobulin, but did not inhibit the development of thyroiditis.