title: Induction of auto-antibody formation in C3H/HeJ mice by cobra venom factor.
abstract: Recently, we demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-hyporesponsive C3H/HeJ mice show a very high background number of splenic antibody-forming cells with specificity for bromelain-treated isologous erythrocytes. This background level was not or only slightly enhanced by LPS injection. In this paper it is reported that the existing response of C3H/HeJ mice is about doubled by treatment of the animals with cobra venom factor (CVF). This increase is very similar to the LPS-induced potentiation of the auto-antibody response of C3H/Tif and other LPS-responder mice. The absence of auto-antibodies in the sera of CVF-treated C3H/HeJ mice, however, points at a different mechanism of B cell activation. The mediation of the CVF-induced stimulation of the B cells of C3H/HeJ mice by covalent C3-glycoprotein complexes and the need for an additional stimulus is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bloembergen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hol
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Hofhuis
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Dijk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D001963:Bromelains / Q000494:pharmacology; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D001323:Autoantibodies; D004546:Elapid Venoms; D004731:Endotoxins; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C016310:cobra venom factor; D001963:Bromelains