title: Antitumor effects of antibody-diphtheria toxin conjugates. III. Cyclophosphamide-induced immune unresponsiveness to conjugates.
abstract: Of 9 hamsters immunized with diphtheria toxin-hamster gamma-globulin conjugates and rechallenged with this antigen 15 days later, 8 exhibited neutralizing antibodies against the conjugates 22 days after the initial immunization. Hamsters identically immunized, but also given cyclophosphamide (CY) 20 hours after the first immunization, had a much lower incidence of positive responses (2/10) and lower antibody levels in the positive responders. After further immunization with the conjugates, all CY-treated hamsters eventually developed neutralizing antibodies, but exhibited a reduction in antibody levels after a second exposure to CY. Hamsters immunized with diphtheria toxoid developed antibodies that were effective in neutralizing diphtheria toxin, but less effective against the diphtheria toxin conjugates.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006224:Cricetinae; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D005719:gamma-Globulins
chemical_list: D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D005719:gamma-Globulins; D003520:Cyclophosphamide