The Enhancement of Anaphylaxis in Albino Mice with the Aid of Adjuvants

Abstract

Summary and Conclusions A single subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injection of protein antigen incorporated in Freund's adjuvant sufficiently sensitized albino mice so that almost all animals exhibited anaphylactic death or severe shock when subsequently challenged with specific antigen. Stronger anaphylactic responses were obtained with large rather than with small sensitizing doses and with intravenous rather than intraperitoneal injection of the challenge dose. Anaphylactic reactions were fewer and milder when the interval between sensitization and challenge was less than 14 days. Maximum results were obtained when this interval was 21 to 28 days. Fatal anaphylactic reactions occurred with greater frequency in bilaterally adrenalectomized sensitized mice than in nonadrenalectomized sensitized mice. However, a large percentage of adrenalectomized control mice died following challenge with a quantity of antigen that was not lethal to normal animals. The injection of adrenal-cortical extracts shortly prior to the injection of the challenge antigen regularly resulted in a slight reduction in the number of fatal shock reactions. Under the conditions of these experiments it appears that in sensitized pregnant mice, abortion following the injection of a shock dose of antigen is a useful measure of anaphylactic response. The results of these experiments appear to justify a further consideration of utilizing the above findings as the bases for formulating a practical and reliable method for demonstrating active anaphylaxis in albino mice.