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INFLUENCE OF AZATHIOPRINE ON HUMORAL DEFENCE FACTORS AGAINST ESCHERICHIA COLI IN GERMFREE AND MONOCONTAMINATED RATS
Author(s) -
Baardsen A.,
Midtvedt T.,
Trippestad A.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
acta pathologica microbiologica scandinavica section b microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0365-5563
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02280.x
Subject(s) - azathioprine , antibody , complement (music) , escherichia coli , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , humoral immunity , chemistry , medicine , biochemistry , phenotype , disease , complementation , gene
By means of radioisotope technique the influence of azathioprine on humoral defence factors against E. coli was studied on germfree and ex‐germfree rats monocontaminated with E. coli. Using inactivated sera, by the addition of serum from germfree rats as a source of complement, titration of antibodies showed that the bactericidal activity of serum from azathioprine‐treated rats was reduced in relation to control serum. By distinguishing the immunoglobulins on the basis of their sensitivity to 2‐mercaptoethanol, it was found that azathioprine blocked the production of 2‐mercaptoethanol‐resistant antibodies. The complement activity in the azathioprine‐treated animals was not found to be decreased. Apart from complement other non‐specific humoral factors against E. coli did not seem to participate significantly in the system used.