IgE responses of malnourished mice: immunogenic and tolerogenic effects of low-grade antigenic stimulation.
Mice maintained on protein-restricted diets after weaning manifested normal IgE (and IgG) responses following intraperitoneal immunization under conditions of maximal antigenic stimulation, i.e., antigen adsorbed to adjuvant. However, antigenic challenge at levels closer to the stimulation threshold, employing soluble antigen alone, revealed marked differences between the immune competence of normal and malnourished animals. Diminished IgE responsiveness to soluble antigen in the malnourished mice was accompanied by enhanced susceptibility to the induction of antigen-specific tolerance associated with the appearance of suppressor T cells in the spleen. It is argued that enhanced susceptibility to suppressor T-cell induction under conditions of minimal antigenic stimulation may underlie the diminished IgE responsiveness of the malnourished animals.
D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007440:Intubation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010059:Ovomucin / Q000276:immunology; D010323:Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens; D010059:Ovomucin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin