title: Antibody responses to hapten in thymectomized mice: extraordinarily pronounced deficiency in IgG1 production.
abstract: The effect of thymectomy on the production of antibodies was studied by immunizing mice with hapten-carrier conjugates. Antibody responses were analysed with monoclonal antibody-based quantitative isotype-resolving assays. In spite of bone marrow reconstitution, irradiation without thymectomy caused a long-lasting relative deficiency in responsiveness to T-independent antigens. Even when no visible remnants of the thymus could be observed at the autopsy of thymectomized mice, there appeared to be a gradual recovery of antibody-forming capacity within 4 months, as assessed by the response to a T-dependent antigen. Therefore, some of the thymectomized mice had to be regarded as having recovered with respect to the helper T-cell effect. The antibody responses to T-dependent antigens were improved in all isotypes by a functional T-cell system, but the IgG isotypes seemed to benefit more than IgM. The most conspicuous deficit in antibody production in non-recovered thymectomized mice was observed in the T-dependent responses of the IgG1 isotype (2000-fold reduction in contrast to about 50- to 100-fold in IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgG3).
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Seppälä
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hurme
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mäkelä
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000955:Antigens, T-Independent / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D004406:Dysgammaglobulinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006241:Haptens / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D017099:IgG Deficiency; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D011828:Radiation Chimera; D013934:Thymectomy
chemical_list: D000955:Antigens, T-Independent; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006241:Haptens; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes