title: Immune response potential of mast cell-deficient W/Wv mice.
abstract: Immune responses of mast cell-deficient WBB6F1-W/Wv mice and their mast cell-sufficient littermates (LM: WBB6F1-W/+, Wv/+ and +/+) were compared. After a single intravenous injection of sheep erythrocytes (SE), polyvinylpyrrolidone or bacterial lipopolysaccharide, the antigen-specific IgM plaque-forming cell (PFC) response of W/Wv mice was similar to or greater than the response of LM mice. When both primary and secondary injections of SE or chicken gamma-globulin were given to mice and antigen-specific IgG PFC responses quantified, the response of W/Wv again was similar to or greater than that of LM mice. Serum titers of antigen-specific IgE were higher in W/Wv than in LM mice after injections of ovalbumin in alum or infections of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. Ovalbumin-sensitized W/Wv and LM mice developed active systemic anaphylaxis after ovalbumin challenge. The ability of W/Wv mice to be sensitized for and elicit contact sensitivity (CS) reactions was studied using picryl chloride or dinitrofluorobenzene as sensitizing and challenge agents and quantifying 24-hour reactions by change in ear thickness. SE or methylated bovine serum albumin was used to sensitize and challenge mice for delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions which were quantified at 24 h by change in foot pad or ear thickness. CS and DTH reactions of W/Wv and LM mice were similar. No evidence of immune deficiency of W/Wv mice was found.
mesh_terms: D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D005260:Female; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens