Premium
Thymus‐Independent Anti‐DNP Antibody Responses to DNP‐Casein and DNP‐Gelatin
Author(s) -
Ishizaka Shigeaki,
Otani Shuzo,
Morisawa Seiji
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1979.tb00486.x
Subject(s) - spleen , antigen , heterologous , biology , antibody , polyclonal antibodies , microbiology and biotechnology , gelatin , t cell , thymocyte , in vivo , immunology , immune system , biochemistry , cd8 , gene
Although studies on the molecular nature of thymus‐independent antigens suggested that the polymeric structure with repeated antigenic determinants and slow metabolism are responsible for thymus‐independence, we found that anti‐DNP antibody responses to DNP‐casein and DNP‐gelatin were thymus‐independent as well as macrophage‐independent. These antibody responses were not affected by in vivo treatment with carrageenan or anti‐thymocyte serum. In addition, responses of athymic nude mice to both antigens did not show any significant differences when compared with heterologous nu/+ mice. These findings were confirmed by in vitro experiments; non‐adherent spleen cells or T cell‐depleted spleen cells responded well to both antigens to the same extent as normal spleen cells. Since both casein and gelatin are polyclonal B cell activators and are not presumed to be high polymer or slow‐metabolizing substances, we suggest that thymus‐independence in many kinds of antibody response should be reconsidered.