title: Interferon-gamma potentiates antibody affinity in mice with a genetically controlled defect in affinity maturation.
abstract: Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), the tetrapeptide tuftsin and the synthetic nonapeptide from interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) (amino acids 163-171) have previously been shown to act on macrophages and/or T cells and to enhance antibody titres to T cell-dependent antigens. The ability of these immunomodulatory agents to potentiate antibody affinity in addition to antibody titre has been studied in a line of mice that fail to demonstrate normal maturation of antibody affinity (low N/M mice). The results presented here confirm that each of the agents potentiate antibody levels following simultaneous injection with a T cell-dependent antigen but demonstrate that only IFN-gamma is able to enhance antibody affinity in these mice. The observation that IFN-gamma can enhance both antibody affinity and antibody levels suggests that it could be an important adjuvant for vaccine use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, England.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Steward
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D000917:Antibody Formation; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014405:Tuftsin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007375:Interleukin-1; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C052994:interleukin-1beta (163-171); D007371:Interferon-gamma; D014405:Tuftsin