title: Autoantibody generation by cross-reactive antigens: possible homeostatic mechanism.
abstract: Inbred (C57BL6 X CBA) F1 mice or outbred Ico: OF1 (Caw) mice received a weekly injection of rat erythrocytes for 2-3 months and the (IgM and IgG) antibody levels to autologous erythrocytes were measured by ELISA. No autoantibodies were found in serum but the erythrocyte-bound IgM and IgG antibodies rose initially and levelled off afterwards (usually from day 14 onwards). The anti-rat erythrocyte antibody response also rose sharply at the beginning and eventually levelled off. This suggests the existence of one or several homeostatic mechanisms. Ico: OF1 (Caw) mice received a weekly injection of E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 75 micrograms/mouse, for 7 weeks, and the autoantibody levels to autologous erythrocytes and to ssDNA were measured by ELISA. While LPS readily increased the anti-ssDNA autoantibody level, it failed to elicit detectable concentrations of erythrocyte-bound antibodies. Nevertheless, LPS enhanced the response to autologous erythrocytes triggered by a suboptimal dose of rat erythrocytes. This suggests that LPS induces autoantibodies to those antigens that have already initiated an immune response.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003298:Coombs Test; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000276:immunology; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA / Q000276:immunology; D008954:Models, Biological; D051381:Rats / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D004247:DNA