title: Antibodies with multiple binding functions. Induction of single immunoglobin species by structurally dissimilar haptens.
abstract: Anti-hapten sera prepared in rabbits contain individual immunoglobulin species capable of binding several pairs of structurally diverse haptens A and B. (A = inosine, uridine, menadione, vitamin K(1), ribonuclease; B = 2,4-dinitrophenyl). In antisera against hapten A subjected to isoelectric focusing, there are many anti-A immunoglobulin species, but only a small proportion of these bind both A and B. When rabbits are primed with haptens A coupled to a carrier and then challenged with hapten B-carrier complex, there is an early restricted response of those species that bind both A and B. Later, immunoglobulins appear which bind B, but not A. These results suggest that multiple-binding antibodies exist in antisera against hapten and that such multiple binding is functional; i.e., that when two diverse haptens A and B bind to an immunoglobulin, both haptens may stimulate the cell-surface receptor to induce production of this immunoglobulin. Such phenomena may also provide a molecular basis for maturation of the immune response.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001345:Autoradiography; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004140:Dinitrophenols; D000939:Epitopes; D005492:Folic Acid; D006241:Haptens; D007114:Immunization; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007288:Inosine; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology; D012260:Ribonucleases; D014529:Uridine; D014812:Vitamin K; D005719:gamma-Globulins
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004140:Dinitrophenols; D000939:Epitopes; D006241:Haptens; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D005719:gamma-Globulins; D014812:Vitamin K; D007288:Inosine; D005492:Folic Acid; D012260:Ribonucleases; D014529:Uridine