Study of Autoimmune Disease in New Zealand Mice. IV. Immunologic Reactivity and Reticuloendothelial Function

Abstract

NZB, NZW and NZB/NZW mice were pretreated with nonaggregated bovine gamma globulin (BGG) to produce tolerance to this protein measured as a secondary response at 6 weeks of age when autoimmune disease was absent and at 9 months when disease was active. The young NZB arid NZB/NZW hybrids were relatively resistant to the development of tolerance when compared with CBA and Swiss ICR control animals. However, 9 month old NZB mice were made tolerant easily. The old NZB/NZW hybrids showed a poor antibody response to immunization with BGG so that specific immunosuppression could not be unequivocally established. The NZW mice could not he made tolerant at any age. Spleen cells from old NZB mice could not initiate a graft versus host reaction, but spleen cells from young NZB and old NZW mice showed a vigorous response. Reticuloendothelial (RE) function as measured by clearance of colloidal carbon was identical in all the New Zealand and control mice, except in the NZB strain which exhibited increased RE activity. Nonaggregated BGG was cleared from the circulation 2 to 3 times more rapidly in all three New Zealand strains than in CBA and Swiss ICR controls. RE function and clearance of non-aggregated BGG in New Zealand mice could not be correlated with the immunologic reactivity of these animals to BGG.