Regulation of Homocytotropic Antibody Formation in the Rat

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Abstract
Anti-hapten homocytotropic antibody (HTA) formation was induced in rats by two succeeding injections of dinitrophenylated Ascaris extracts (DNP-As) with a 5-day interval by the use of Bordetella pertussis vaccine as an adjuvant. The suppressive activity of anti-hapten and anti-carrier antibodies on the HTA formation was tested by immunizing rats with various antigen-antibody precipitates in which hapten, carrier or both were covered by an excess of rabbit antibodies directed to the respective determinants. It was found that a covering of carrier determinants in the first injection on day 0 suppressed the anti-hapten HTA response, whereas the covering of haptenic determinants was rather enhancing. On the other hand, a covering of haptenic determinants by anti-hapten antibodies in the second injection was greatly suppressive, while a covering of carrier determinants was ineffective. It was also found that the first injection of DNP-As on day 0 could be replaced by injection of the unconjugated carrier to prepare animals for the subsequent induction of the antihapten HTA response following a second single injection of the hapten-carrier conjugate. The results indicate that carrier determinants are first recognized by carrierspecific cells which interact with hapten-specific cells to induce formation of antihapten HTA.

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