Immunomodulating Effects of 13-cis Retinoic Acid on the IgG and IgM Response of BALB/c Mice

Abstract

The results reported here provide information on the effects of 13-cis retinoic acid (13-cRA) on the IgG and IgM responses in BALB/c mice. For these studies, a suboptimum immunizing concentration of ovalbumin (1 μg) was used. BALB/c mice were given either 13-cRA or control beadlets (gel) as either 1 dose (at day ––1) or 4 doses (at week ––3, ––2, ––1, and day ––1) prior to primary immunization, or 4 doses prior to, and 4 doses after, primary immunization (week ––3, ––2, ––1, day ––1, week 1, 2, 3, and day 27). The results consistently showed no primary antibody response and excellent secondary antibody levels in all 13-cRA-treated groups. Attempts to determine whether the 13-cRA affected the afferent or efferent phase of antibody induction by varying the time of the administration of a single 13-cRA dose, relative to immunization, showed no difference in the results in animals treated on day ––2 to day 3.