The allogeneic effect in inbred mice. 3. Unique antigenic structural requirements in the expression of the phenomenon on unprimed cell populations in vivo.

Abstract

The allogeneic effect has been shown to replace the requirement for carrier-specific helper thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes in secondary antihapten antibody responses in guinea pigs or mice. Attempts to enhance primary antibody responses to either 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP)-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) or DNP-ovalbumin (OVA) by the allogeneic effect have failed, and frequently result in suppression. However, the present studies have demonstrated a clear allogeneic effect on primary anti-DNP responses to a DNP-conjugate of the copolymer of D-glutamic acid and D-lysine, DNP-D-GL. This compound, for which no carrier-specific helper T cells exist, normally induces a state of DNP-specific tolerance in the doses employed. However, normal (BALB/c x A/J)F(1) recipients developed primary anti-DNP antibody responses, and of the IgG class, when DNP-D-GL was administered shortly after the transfer of allogeneic parental A strain lymphoid cells. To test the possibility that the presence of KLH-specific T lymphocytes might inhibit the expression of the allogeneic effect on the primary response to DNP-KLH, studies were undertaken using T cell-depleted spleen cells. In this model, the allogeneic effect again enhanced the primary response to DNP-D-GL, but still failed to enhance the primary response to DNP-KLH. These studies indicate that the structure of the molecule employed and its specific interaction with the bone marrow-derived (B) cell membrane may be critical in the capacity of primed and unprimed B cells to be influenced by the allogeneic effect.