The Immune Response of Inbred Strains of Mice to a “High-Conjugation” and a “Low-Conjugation” 2,4 Dinitrophenyl-Glutamic Acid57-Lysine38-Alanine5 (DNP-GLA5) Copolymer

Abstract

The response of inbred mouse strains C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ to a “high-conjugation” (75%) and a “low-conjugation” (τ;0, ≤10%) 2,4 dinitrophenyl-poly (glu⁵⁷lys³⁸ala⁵) copolymer, DNP-GLA⁵, was tested. The C57BL/6J mice were non-responders to the DNP group at doses from 0.07 µg to 82 µg of each antigen. The C3H/HeJ mice were responders to the DNP group. There was no qualitative difference between the two antigens in eliciting both primary and secondary antibody responses. Although there was a large range in response to the DNP group by the C3H/HeJ mice, there was a distinct gap between non-responder and responder mice. The response to the DNP group, when coupled to GLA⁵, in these two strains of mice, parallels the response to the carrier, GLA⁵.