Prolonged Suppression by X-Ray of Adaptation for the Secondary Antibody Response.

Abstract

Rabbits adapted by previous exposure for vigorous secondary antibody responses to BGG lost this adaptation after sublethal X-radiation and were able to give only primary responses to reinjection of the antigen 24 weeks after irradiation. Data are presented indicating that the loss of secondary adaptation was not a result of general damage to the antibody-forming system. These results have implications both for understanding of the immune response and for practical problems of immunization.