SPECIFIC INVIVO AND INVITRO ANTIBODY-RESPONSE TO TETANUS TOXOID IMMUNIZATION

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 49  (3) , 552-558
Abstract
Booster immunization of normal individuals with soluble tetanus toxoid (TT) produced significant levels of plasma anti-tetanus IgG and IgM detectable by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Similar changes in circulating anti-TT antibody were found in mice following primary immunization. There was no correlation between circulating anti-TT antibody response and the proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells exposed to soluble TT in the immunized individuals. The capacity of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells to produce specific anti-TT antibody in vitro was evaluated using a new microculture antibody synthesis enzyme-linked assay. The production of specific antibody in vitro correlated with the circulating anti-TT antibody level and not with the proliferative response. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from these recently secondary immunized individuals produced greater specific anti-TT antibody when cultured in TT coated plastic wells than did controls. The potential utility of this technique in assessing response to immunization and basic immune competence is discussed.