DEFICIENT ANTIBODY-FORMATION IN BONE-MARROW OF NUDE-MICE

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  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 35  (4) , 619-626
Abstract
The bone marrow of young adult nude mice was investigated as a site of antibody formation after immunization with the thymus-independent antigen Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Mice heterozygous for the nu-gene were capable of a plaque-forming cell (PFC) response in spleen and bone marrow after primary and secondary immunization with LPS. Primary immunization of nude mice with LPS induced a normal PFC response in the spleen, but did not evoke the appearance of PFC in the bone marrow. During the secondary response the nude mice did show PFC activity in the bone marrow, but at a much lower level than their heterozygous littermates. At all time points after secondary immunization the number of splenic PFC was higher in nude mice than in the control mice. Determination by immunofluorescence of cells containing cytoplasmic immunoglobulin (C-Ig cells) in the bone marrow of young adult nonimmune nude and heterozygous mice, revealed a 3 times higher number of C-IgM cells in the bone marrow of the heterozygous thymus-bearing mice. The number of splenic C-IgM cells was higher in the nude mice than in their heterozygous littermates. Apparently, the presence of the thymus facilitates the appearance of mature antibody-forming cells in the bone marrow of young adult mice, irrespective of whether the generation of these cells is initiated by so called thymus-dependent or thymus-independent antigens.