title: Immune and mitogenic responses by BALB/c, C3H/HeJ, and nude mice to Brucella abortus bacterin and lipopolysaccharide.
abstract: The immunogenic and mitogenic properties of Brucella abortus 1119-3 bacterin (BA) and biologically active B. abortus lipopolysaccharide (BA-LPS) were studied using normal and athymic (nude) BALB/c and C3H/HeJ mice. Although BA stimulated 2-mercaptoethanol-sensitive (2-ME-S) primary and secondary antibody responses in all mice, nude mice, in contrast to normal BALB/c and C3H/HeJ mice, did not make substantial 2-mercaptoethanol-resistant (2-ME-R) antibody responses. Similarly, all mice injected with BA-LPS made 2-ME-S primary responses, and the secondary response of thymus-bearing mice contained a substantial 2-ME-R component. Collectively, these observations suggest that although both BA and BA-LPS can stimulate thymus-independent 2-ME-S antibody synthesis, thymus-derived cells are required for optimal immune responses containing a 2-ME-R component. The antibody responses of normal BALB/c and C3H/HeJ mice to BA and BA-LPS were qualitatively and quantitatively similar. Both BA and BA-LPS were mitogenic for spleen cells from normal and nude BALB/c and C3H/HeJ mice but not for thymus cells from normal BALB/c or C3H/HeJ mice, suggesting that both preparations are B-cell mitogens.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000992:Antitoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C / Q000276:immunology; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H / Q000276:immunology; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000276:immunology*; D008819:Mice, Nude / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000992:Antitoxins; D004731:Endotoxins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides