PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Inman, John K.
TI  - Thymus-Independent Antigens: The Preparation of Covalent, Hapten-Ficoll Conjugates
DP  - 1975 Feb 01
TA  - The Journal of Immunology
PG  - 704--709
VI  - 114
IP  - 2 Part 1
4099  - http://www.jimmunol.org/content/114/2_Part_1/704.short
4100  - http://www.jimmunol.org/content/114/2_Part_1/704.full
SO  - J. Immunol.1975 Feb 01; 114
AB  - A general approach is presented for covalently attaching carboxyl and primary amino groups to Ficoll and other high molecular weight polysaccharides in a readily controlled manner. The polysaccharides are o-carboxymethylated with chloroacetate in NaOH solutions. Amino groups are next introduced by monoamide formation with ethylenediamine using a water-soluble carbodiimide. Reactions are carried out in aqueous solutions; excess reactants and by-products are removed by dialysis. Three different ways for coupling the 2,4-dinitrophenyl hapten to the amino derivative of Ficoll are described. Preliminary evidence indicates that 2,4-dinitrophenyl-Ficolls, prepared by procedures developed in this study, are potent thymus-independent antigens which can specifically stimulate B cells both in vivo and in vitro. Hapten-Ficoll conjugates should be exceptionally useful for studies of B lymphocyte activation because of the ready availability of the starting material and the ease with which a wide variety of hapten derivatives may be prepared.