IMMUNO-SUPRESSION OF THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY IMMUNE-RESPONSE BY AN IGM PLASMACYTOMA (TEPC-183)

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 36  (2) , 191-197
Abstract
TEPC-183 Ig[immunoglobulin]M (.kappa.) suppressed the primary immune response (IR) to the T[thymus-derived] cell-dependent antigens [Ag] 2,4-dinitrophenyl-hemacyanin (DNP-HCY) and T cell-independent pneumococcal polysaccharides. The effect of TEPC-183 on an ongoing immune response to SSS-III and DNP-HCY was examined. When TEPC-183 was injected 6 days after the initial Ag injection, at the height of the primary IR, the response was significantly suppressed to SSS-III and to the DNP ligand. Suppression of the secondary IR occurred when mice were injected with tumor as late as 35 days after the 1st Ag injection. Tumor removal lifted the immunosuppression to DNP and the tumor-removed group had a similar number of direct and indirect anti-DNP-PFC, although HA [hemagglutination] levels were still reduced. When mice were pretreated with serum from normal mice or serum or ascites from TEPC-183 bearing mice 1 day prior to and on the day of Ag injection, the immune response to DNP was reduced by TEPC-183 serum but not by normal mouse serum (NMS), while the anti-SSS-III response was reduced by NMS [normal mouse serum] and TEPC-183 serum. NMS selectively suppressed the T cell-independent response, but only TEPC-183 serum suppressed both types of responses. The suppressive effect of serum on the IR of normal mice indicates a role for soluble regulatory suppressive factors present in the serum of normal and tumor-bearing mice. The tumor may exert its effect on the inductive and the proliferative phase of the immune response.