Hapten-Specific Tolerance: Depressed Humoral and Normal Cellular Immune Responses

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Abstract
A profound depression of the anti-DNP antibody response to DNP-guinea pig albumin (GPA) is induced by pretreatment of guinea pigs with the DNP conjugate of the copolymer of d-glutamic acid and d-lysine (DNP-d-GL). This tolerance is hapten-specific and previous studies have indicated that the number of precursors of anti-DNP antibody-secreting cells is diminished as a result of the tolerance induction. Thus, the tolerant state appears to be due to an immune paralysis within the precursors of antibody-secreting cells (bone marrow-derived cells). In this study, it is shown that animals tolerized with DNP-d-GL, although manifesting a marked depression in the humoral response after immunization with DNP-guinea pig albumin, display a normal delayed hypersensitivity response to DNP-guinea pig albumin. Furthermore, lymph node cells from tolerized animals incorporate thymidine into DNA when stimulated with antigen in amounts equivalent to cells from normal immune animals. Thus, cellular immune responses (thymus-derived cell mediated functions) to DNP-GPA are normal in guinea pigs pretreated with DNP-d-GL. These studies strongly reinforce the concept that a basic specificity distinction exists between receptors on precursors of antibody-secreting cells and those on cells participating in cellular immune responses.

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