title: Specificity and genetic restrictions of the guinea-pig immune response to dinitrophenyl-lysyl-alanyl octapeptides.
abstract: A series of 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP) octapeptides containing L-lysine and L-alanine were prepared to examine the specificity and genetic restrictions of both cellular and humoral immune responses in inbred guinea-pigs. Strains 2 and 13 guinea-pigs were therefore immunized with Lys4-Ala3-Lys(DNP), Lys3Ala4-Lys(DNP), Lys2-Ala5-Lys(DNP) and Lys-Ala6-Lys(DNP). Only Lys4-Ala3-Lys(DNP) was under Ir gene control and could induce both antibody and T-cell responses in strain 2 guinea-pigs. In contrast, Lys4-Ala3-Lys(DNP) injected in strain 13 guinea-pigs and the other DNP-octapeptides injected in strain 2 or 13 guinea-pigs elicited only antibody formation and no specific T-cell mediated response. Antibody formed in the absence of specific T-cell responsiveness in either strain 2 or 13 was hapten specific and lacked the capacity to discriminate the immunizing antigen from closely related DNP-peptides. Antibody produced by animals with specific T-cell responses, on the other hand, was exquisitely specific for the immunizing peptide and could discriminate it from closely related peptides.
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D008239:Lysine / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009578:Nitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004136:Dinitrobenzenes; D009578:Nitrobenzenes; D009842:Oligopeptides; D008239:Lysine; D000409:Alanine