title: The regulation of the immune response of mice to Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide.
abstract: The regulation of age-related antibody response to Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide (HITB-PS) was studied by measuring the splenic plaque forming cells (PFC) following immunization with this capsular polysaccharide. The magnitude of PFC response to HITB-PS was found to be dose-related, enhanced by Freund's complete adjuvant and influenced by the genetic strain of mice. Priming with a low dose of HITB-PS did not induce a state of immunological unresponsiveness. Treatment with antilymphocyte serum significantly increased the PFC response to HITB-PS. Athymic nude mice showed an enhanced ability to induce both IgG and IgA-PFC responses as well as a significant increase in the biosynthesis of protein and mitogenicity in spleen cells. These findings suggest that the immune response to HITB-PS is regulated by the suppressor T cell. The magnitude of the IgM-PFC response induced by HITB-PS in mice increased gradually from two weeks of age and reached a plateau at 8 weeks. Treatment with fetuin resulted in the inhibition of direct IgM and IgG-PFC responses to HITB-PS; the suppressive effect on the immune response was more profound and lasting in young than in adult mice.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000276:immunology*; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D051379:Mice; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D013936:Thymidine