IMMUNE-RESPONSE OF NEONATES TO PNEUMOCOCCAL POLYSACCHARIDE-PROTEIN CONJUGATE

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 46  (2) , 333-342
Abstract
Immune responses were studied in adult and young mice exposed to pneumococcal 6A and 19F polysaccharides (PSs) and 19F PS conjugated to proteins, human IgG (HIgG), pneumococcal R61 cell wall polypeptide and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Significantly higher IgM and IgG2 antibody titers were induced in mice receiving 19F PS-protein conjugates than in the control group receiving 19F PS alone. Maternal immunization with 19F PS-HIgG conjugate elicited a low immune response in the offspring. When young mice from immunized mothers were given an additional dose of polysaccharide-protein conjugate, they gave an antibody response greater than that of mice not given additional immunogen. Young mice exposed to 14-valent pneumococcal vaccine during gestation produced higher antibody response to 6A and 19F PSs. Secondary immunization of 19F PS or PS-protein conjugate at 1 or 2 wk after primary immunization did not enhance antibody formation but rather suppressed the immune response to that polysaccharide.