The Effect of Alpha‐fetoprotein on the Immune Reponse: Inhibition of the Humoral Response in Adult Mice Antigenically Stimulated with Sheep Red Blood Cells Suspended in Mouse Amniotic Fluid or Alpha‐fetoprotein

Abstract

Adult mice of the inbred A2G strain pretreated for four days in a row with mouse amniotic fluid or alpha‐fetoprotein and subsequently antigenically stimulated by an i.p. inoculation of sheep red blood cells suspended in phosphate buffered saline had an unmodified humoral immune response. The number of direct hemolytic plaque forming cells/106 spleen cells and the serum antibody titre were virtually identical to those of the controls.However, when the antigen was suspended in mouse amniotic fluid or alpha‐fetoprotein and inoculated simultaneously with these proteins, the immune response was depressed.The antigenicity of red blood cells incubated in alpha‐fetoprotein was not modified.