IgG subclass distributions in anti‐hapten and anti‐polysaccharide antibodies induced by haptenated polysaccharides

Abstract

Mice were immunized with hapten [NIP, (4‐hydroxy‐5‐iodo‐3‐nitrophenyl)acetyl or TNP (2,4,6‐trinitrophenyl)] conjugates of Ficoll or pneumococcal polysaccharide type 14 (S14), and they were bled on days 10 or 14. Anti‐hapten and anti‐polysaccharide antibodies were determined from the sera or from fractions (IgM + IgA), IgG₁, IgG_2a, IgG₃ or IgG_2h separated by a gradual acid elution from protein A. Approximately one‐half of both anti‐hapten and anti‐polysaccharide antibodies was found in the IgM + IgA fraction. The subclass distribution of the IgG antibodies was dependent on the antigenic determinants. Polysaccharide antibodies were mostly in the IgG₃ fraction (36–62%) and in the IgG₁ fraction (18–36%). Hapten IgG antibodies were mostly in the IgG₁ fraction (38–74%); each of the other three subclasses contributed the average of 13%. These results provide the first evidence that antibodies to different determinants of one antigen have grossly different isotype distributions.