Open AccessInterferon‐gamma potentiates antibody affinity in mice with a genetically controlled defect in affinity maturation
Author(s) -
HOLLAND G. P.,
HOLLAND N.,
STEWARD M. W.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1990.tb05430.x
Subject(s) - immunology , interferon gamma , antibody , biology , interferon type ii , cytokine
SUMMARY Interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ), the tetrapeptide tuftsin and the synthetic nonapeptide from interleukin‐1 beta (IL‐1 β) (amino acids 163–171) have previously been shown to act on macrophages and/or T cells and to enhance antibody titres to T cell‐dependent antigens. The ability of these immunomodulatory agents to potentiate antibody affinity in addition to antibody titre has been studied in a line of mice that fail to demonstrate normal maturation of antibody affinity (low N/M mice). The results presented here confirm that each of the agents potentiate antibody levels following simultaneous injection with a T cell‐dependent antigen but demonstrate that only IFN‐γ is able to enhance antibody affinity in these mice. The observation that IFN‐γ can enhance both antibody affinity and antibody levels suggests that it could be an important adjuvant for vaccine use.