Idiotype-specific regulation might contribute to specific unresponsiveness in dextran-primed mice

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Priming of adult responder mice with optimal immunogenic doses of dextran α,1–6 results in reduced antibody responses to secondary antigenic challenge. We have now quantified dextran-specific clonal precursors in the large and small B-lymphocyte compartments within several days or several months after priming with either dextran or antiidiotypic antibodies directed to a dominant idiotype of C57BL/6 mice which accounts for more than 50 % of the antibody response. The results show that 《secondary unresponsiveness》 correlates with idiotype-directed depletion of the appropriate specificities from the immunocompetent resting B-cell pool.