Immune responses to a hapten-carrier conjugate in splenectomized and BCG-treated guinea pigs.
The effects of splenectomy on antibody synthesis and delayed hypersensitivity (DH) reactions were studied in Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-treated guinea pigs injected intravenously with an hapten-carrier complex. Splenectomy was performed either before BCG treatment or between BCG treatment and immunization. Splenectomy had no effect on anti-hapten anaphylactic antibody synthesis whatever time it was performed. On the contrary, splenectomy abolished DH reactions to the carrier when performed after the BCG treatment, but not before. These results suggested that splenectomy leads to the depletion of macrophages activated by BCG which are efficient in antigenic presentation to the T lymphocytes involved in cell-mediated immunity.
D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D004140:Dinitrophenols; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006241:Haptens / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D013156:Splenectomy; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
D001500:BCG Vaccine; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004140:Dinitrophenols; D006241:Haptens; D012709:Serum Albumin; C030730:dinitrophenyl gamma globulin; C058064:dinitrophenyl-human serum albumin conjugate; D005719:gamma-Globulins