The antibody-containing cell response in hepatic and intestinal lymph following intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of antigen in different adjuvants

Abstract

A comparison was made of the antibody-containing cell (ACC) response in hepatic and intestinal lymph of sheep following intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA), Freund's incomplete adjuvant (FIA) or the bland vegetable oil preparation, adjuvant 65. There was a substantial ACC response in intestinal lymph following intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin in either FCA or FIA. Responses were essentially similar in magnitude and for both adjuvants ACC were distributed mainly among the IgG1, IgA and IgM immunoglobulin classes. In contrast, there was a negligible ACC response in intestinal lymph following injection of antigen in adjuvant 65. The output of ACC in hepatic lymph and the immunoglobulin class distribution of the ACC following intraperitoneal injection of antigen in either FCA or FIA were similar and results were comparable with those for intestinal lymph with ACC of IgA specificity comprising 32% of ACC at the peak of the response. In contrast to results for intestinal lymph, injection of antigen in adjuvant 65 was followed by a significant ACC response mainly of IgG 1-and IgM-specific cells in hepatic lymph. The ACC response was much smaller in magnitude than with the Freund's adjuvants. Intravenous injection of ovalbumin in FIA or adjuvant 65 gave rise to substantial ACC responses in hepatic lymph which contrasted with the barely detectable response in intestinal lymph. Following intravenous administration the great majority of ACC in hepatic lymph were of the IgM class irrespective of adjuvant used although ACC of the IgA class made a transitory appearance.