title: T cell-independent responses to an Ir gene-controlled antigen. I. Characteristics of the immune response to insulin complexed to Brucella abortus.
abstract: Immune responses by mice to heterologous insulins are controlled by H-2-linked Ir genes. Antibody responses to insulin are T cell dependent (TD), and nonresponder mice fail to make detectable insulin-specific antibodies. To further analyze the role of T cells in regulation of immune responses to insulin, we have developed a method for induction of insulin-specific B cells in the relative absence of T cells. Insulin has been chemically coupled to the T cell-independent (TI) organism Brucella abortus (insulin-BA). Studies reported here demonstrate that in terms of kinetics of responses, isotype expression, and induction of responses in X-linked immunodeficient mice, insulin-BA behaves as a typical type-1 TI antigen. Despite these characteristic features, T cells appear to augment the response to insulin-BA. More importantly, insulin-BA stimulates IgM and IgG anti-insulin antibodies in all strains tested regardless of whether the mice were responders or nonresponders to the particular insulin tested. Thus insulin-BA should be a useful antigen for dissecting the cell interactions required for development of insulin-specific immunity.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D002004:Brucella Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007328:Insulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008819:Mice, Nude; D013045:Species Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D002004:Brucella Vaccine; D000939:Epitopes; D007328:Insulin