Intact and subcellular form of thymocytes of rats are exceptionally immunogenic in mice for inducing anti-Thy-1 T cell-independent class 2 antibody responses.
Results of the present study show that the primary anti-Thy-1.1 antibody response to rat antigen in Thy-1.2 mice is induced exclusively by thymocyte antigen. Thy-1 antigens of brain and bone marrow, which expressed much Thy-1 antigen, were poorly immunogenic if at all. Brain Thy-1 antigen considerably inhibited the immunogenicity of thymocyte Thy-1. Moreover, we found that subcellular form of thymocytes induce as high antibody responses as intact thymocytes do. The subcellular thymocyte Thy-1 antigen behaved as TI-2 antigen, inducing a good response in athymic nude mice but not in CBA/N mice with a B cell defect. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the possible physiological activity of Thy-1 or Thy-1-linked molecules on thymocytes specifically mediating lymphocyte differentiation.
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008819:Mice, Nude; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007518:Isoantibodies; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; C035678:anti-Thy antibody