IMMUNOMODULATION BY CORYNEBACTERIUM-PARVUM .1. VARIABLE EFFECTS ON ANTI-SHEEP ERYTHROCYTE ANTIBODY-RESPONSES

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 35  (5) , 685-693
Abstract
Corynebacterium parvum injected i.p. 1-16 days prior to i.p. antigen inoculation virtually abolished Ig[immunoglobulin]M and IgG primary responses to 1 .times. 108 SRBC [sheep red blood cells]. The suppression was significantly marked at antigen doses ranging from 1 .times. 106-1 .times. 109 SRBC but not at 5 .times. 109 SRBC. As little as 56 .mu.g C. parvum caused a marked suppression of the response to 1 .times. 108 SRBC. In secondary responses C. parvum given 1 day before priming with 1 .times. 108 SRBC or 1 day before secondary challenge caused a dramatic suppression of IgM and IgG PFC [plaque forming cell] responses. In contrast with i.p. injected C. parvum, i.v. injection of the vaccine enhanced immune responses to i.p. or i.v. injected SRBC. Similarly C. parvum injected i.p. prior to i.v. immunization resulted in an augmented anti-SRBC response. An enhancement of anti-SRBC response was also noted when C. parvum was injected i.p. on the day of i.p. immunization. The suppressed responses in C. parvum injected animals could be explained partly by the reduced splenic localization of the antigen.