title: The influence of T cells on homogeneous immunoglobulins in sera of athymic nude mice during aging.
abstract: In this study, results are presented which are in agreement with predictions made on basis of the 'three-stage hypothesis' on the development of benign monoclonal gammapathy (BMG). In a T-cell depletion model. C57BL/Ka nude mice were shown to develop single and multiple homogeneous immunoglobulins (H-Ig) during aging in the highest frequencies known so far. Ninety per cent of the C57BL/Ka nude mice displayed one or more H-Ig at 12 months of age. In a T-cell supplementation model, infusion of corticosteriod resistant T cells into 9-month-old BALB/c nude mice resulted in a decrease in the frequency of H-Ig from 43% at 9 months down to 20% at 15 months of age. In contrast, the frequency of H-Ig in the control group increased from 40% at 9 months up to 68% at 12 months. The results show that normally functioning T cells are essential for the generation of a normal, heterogeneous Ig spectrum; they further support the validity of the three-stage hypothesis with regard to the role of an impairment of the T immune system in the pathogenesis of BMG.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000032:analysis; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000032:analysis; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000032:analysis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D008136:Longevity; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007136:Immunoglobulins