Genetic regulation of the antibody response to H-2Db alloantigens in mice. II. Tolerance to non-H-2 determinants abolishes the antibody response to H-2Db in B10.A(5R) mice.

Abstract

B10.A(5R) mice (H-2i5), immunized with spleen cells from congenic B10 mice (H-2b), responded to alloantigens of the H-2Db region by producing antibodies of only IgM [immunoglobulin M] type. They produced IgM and IgG antibodies when immunized with noncongenic H-2b cells that carry other foreign cell surface antigens (non-H-2) in addition to H-2Db. The hypothesis comparing the H-2Db antigen on a congenic cell to a hapten on a nonimmunogenic carrier which fails to induce T [thymus-derived]-cell helper function responsible for the switch from IgM to IgG secretion in B [bone marrow-derived] cells was confirmed. The 5R mice rendered tolerant to the relevant non-H-2 antigens were unable to mount the anti-H-2Db IgG response in a noncongenic immunization. Tolerance induction did not lead to abrogation of the T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity.