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The Immune Response to Bacterial Dextrans
Author(s) -
LUNDKVIST I.,
PORTNOÏ D.,
COUTINHO A.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1989.tb01142.x
Subject(s) - immunogen , antibody , immune system , biology , idiotype , clone (java method) , immunology , context (archaeology) , immunoglobulin idiotypes , immunization , microbiology and biotechnology , monoclonal antibody , genetics , gene , paleontology
C57BL/6 mice respond to Dextran B512 (Den) with a predominant idiotype (Id) (17‐9) while no such Id‐positive antibodies are identified in the specific antibody response of BALB/c mice. We used limiting dilution systems to determine the absolute frequencies of clonal B‐cell precursors producing the 17–9 Id in these two mouse strains and analysed the correlation between Id‐expression and antibody activity at the clonal level The results show very similar frequencies of anti‐Dex und Id‐positive B cells in both strains, but C57BL/6 mice contained fourfold higher frequencies of Dex‐specific clonal precursors which are Id‐positive. This kind of clone, although not used in the specific response of BALB/c mice, constitute roughly 20% of their anti‐Dex repertoire and they are readily induced in this strain. Thus, immunization of both strains with anti‐idiotypic antibodies results in the production of Id‐positive anti‐Dex antibodies with serum titres that directly correlate with precursor frequencies. The results show, therefore, that the section of clonal repertoires utilized in a primary immune response vanes with the immunogen, even if thymus‐independent. These observations are discussed in the context of the genetic controls of anti‐Dex antibody responses and on the general question of the utilization of available antibody repertoires in immune responses.