Studies on the Transfer of Antibody Formation by ISO- and Heterotransplants

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Summary: The ability of iso- and heterotransplants to produce circulating antibody in lethally irradiated recipient mice was investigated. Antibody production was demonstrated following transfer of spleen cells from immunized rats into lethally irradiated mice. Similarly, continued and prolonged antibody synthesis was observed upon transfer of spleen cells from immunized mice into normal and irradiated isologous recipients. In both heterologous and isologous spleen transfers, the antibodies formed were shown to be synthesized by the transferred cells and not by the recipients. In contrast, although bone marrow and spleen cells were obtained from the same donors, circulating agglutinins could not be demonstrated following transfer of isologous or heterologous bone marrow. Restimulation of the transplanted marrow failed to elicit a demonstrable antibody response. These failures were attributed to the unsuccessful transplantion of immunologically competent cells following marrow injection. The actual demonstration of antibody production by transplanted rat spleen cells suggests that a graft vs host immunologic reaction may be possible if lymphoid tissues are transplanted. However, support for a similar reaction following bone marrow transplantation was not indicated.