Ig Class Distribution in Anti-Hapten Responses to Hapten-Erythrocyte Conjugates

Abstract

The anti-hapten response of mice to xenogeneic, allogeneic and syngeneic hapten-erythrocyte conjugates was studied. The amount of anti-hapten antibody produced was proportional to the degree of conjugation when xenogeneic cells were used. Densely conjugated cells induced antibody approximately 50 μg/ml of which 80% was 7S type. Allogeneic and syngeneic erythrocyte conjugates were also immunogenic. They caused a response of which l/3 was 7S antibody. Thymectomy did not affect the response to syngeneic lightly coupled conjugates at all and the response to highly coupled cells only partially. When allogeneic and syngeneic cells were employed, the amount of antibody produced was not proportional to the degree of conjugation. Very lightly conjugated cells were more immunogenic than more highly conjugated ones. The lightly coupled cells were shown to survive in the circulation while the highly coupled ones were rapidly cleared.