Critical periods associated with stressor effects on antibody titers and on the plaque-forming cell response to sheep red blood cells.
A series of experiments assessed the effects of stressors on the antibody response in mice. A critical period existed (72 h following antigen administration; sheep red blood cells 10(6) cells, ip) at which footshock reduced the plaque-forming cell (PFC) response in CD-1 mice. When shock was applied at other intervals following immunization (0, 24, 48, or 95 h) the PFC response was unaffected. The immunosuppression was unrelated to the time between stressor application and sacrifice, in that the reduced PFC response was evident both 24 and 48 h after stressor application, and reduced serum antibody titers (IgG) were evident 1 week after stressor exposure. The reduction of the PFC response was dependent on the severity of the stressor, but was not related to stressor controllability, being evident after both escapable and inescapable shock. It appears that stressful events may profoundly influence the immune response but the time between antigen administration and subsequent exposure to a stressor is critical in determining whether such an effect will be evident.
Zalcman
S
S
Psychology Department, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Minkiewicz-Janda
A
A
Richter
M
M
Anisman
H
H
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D004597:Electroshock; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012756:Sheep; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D000941:Antigens