IMMUNE-RESPONSES IN MICE INFECTED WITH LACTIC-DEHYDROGENASE VIRUS .1. ANTIBODY-RESPONSE TO DNP-BGG AND HYPERGLOBULINEMIA IN BALB-C MICE

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 32  (6) , 981-988
Abstract
The humoral immune response to DNP-BGG [dinitrophenylated bovine .gamma.-globulin] of BALB/c mice acutely infected with lactic dehydrogenase virus (LDV) is investigated. Virus-infected mice injected with antigen in saline exhibit a greater anti-DNP response than uninfected controls. When this antigen is presented in Freund''s complete adjuvant (FCA), the anti-DNP response is greater than obtained with antigen in saline, but significant differences between infected and uninfected controls are not observed. Acute LDV infection can probably have an adjuvant-like effect when this T-[thymus-derived] cell-dependent antigen is introduced in saline. In addition, the effect of viral infection on plasma Ig [immunoglobulin] class and subclass levels was investigated. LDV infection leads to a gradual increase in plasma Ig concentration. This effect is restricted to the IgG2a subclass in most animals, but occasionally is restricted to IgG1. The mechanisms responsible for these changes are not yet delineated.