EFFECT OF AN IGM PLASMACYTOMA (TEPC-183) ON PRIMARY IMMUNE-RESPONSE OF BALB-C MICE

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 34  (1) , 1-8
Abstract
Mice bearing plasmacytoma TEPC-183 Ig[immunoglobulin]M(k) have suppressed immune responses (IR) to T[thymus-derived]cell-dependent and Tcell-independent antigens, i.e., 2-4-dinitrophenyl (DNP) and the pneumococcal polysaccharides types I, III and XIV (SSS-I, SSS-III and SSS-XIV). Although these polysaccharides differ structurally and do not share antigenic determinants, the IR to all 3 is severely depressed. Antibody levels measured by radioimmunoassay to SSS-I and SSS-XIV were only 1/4 and to SSS-III 1/3 of the normal response. Antibody titers to DNP were 1/12 of those of normal mice. The number of direct PFC[plaque forming cells]/spleen to DNP were reduced to 1/9 (817 vs. 7747) and the indirect PFC to 1/16 (669 vs. 10766) of the controls. Mice bearing S37 (a pleomorphic neoplasm) had antibody levels against SSS-I and SSS-III which were equal to or higher than the controls and only somewhat reduced to SSS-XIV. Anti-DNP antibody titers were reduced to half in S37 bearing mice compared to controls (299 vs. 691) while the number of indirect PFC/spleen were comparable. The number of direct anti-DNP PFC/spleen was even higher in the S37 bearing mice than in the controls (4849 vs. 2646). Direct and indirect PFC/106 nucleated spleen cells were reduced in TEPC-183 and S37 bearing mice, reflecting splenomegaly and a reduction in the number of antibody secreting cells/106 spleen cells. TEPC-183 severely suppressed the IR to the DNP-ligand and 3 pneumococcal polysaccharides, while the IR of mice bearing S37 was generally comparable or higher than the controls to DNP and Pn-SSS. Possible mechanisms for the myeloma induced suppression are discussed.