Deficient IgA Antibody Responses to Arsanilic Acid Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) in Neonatally Thymectomized Rabbits

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Abstract
The anti-hapten antibody response to intravenously injected arsanilic acid-bovine serum albumin was studied in neonatally thymectomized, 8-week-old rabbits using the Cla fixation and transfer test. This test allows quantitation of antibody in individual immunoglobulin classes. The IgG antibody response of thymectomized rabbits was not significantly different from the response of intact rabbits and the IgM antibody response of thymectomized rabbits was only slightly diminished. In contrast, the IgA antibody response of thymectomized rabbits was absent or strikingly diminished. This depressed IgA antibody response was also observed when animals were stimulated with a dose of antigen 10-fold greater than the original dose. It is proposed that for at least certain antigens, serum IgA antibody responses are more dependent on the thymus-derived cell system than are antibody responses in other immunoglobulin classes.

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