Long-lived IgE- and IgG-secreting cells in rodents manifesting persistent antibody responses.
BALB/c mice and BN rats manifesting persistent IgE and IgG responses were examined up to 1 year after immunization. A significant proportion of the ongoing antibody response in these animals survived lethal X-irradiation employing dosages sufficient to deplete B memory cells. The persistent IgE responses in both species were refractory to exogenous isotype-specific suppressor cells taken from tolerant syngeneic animals, which were shown to abrogate primary IgE responses in parallel tests. Employing a novel ELISA-based assay for plaque forming cells, long-lived radioresistant IgE- and IgG-secreting cells were identified in differing ratios in lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow of both species. These long-lived cells were shown to arise following maximum antigenic challenge with antigen plus adjuvant, and after repeated low-grade stimulation by antigen alone, including passive inhalation of dilute antigen aerosols.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000528:radiation effects; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E