title: Assessment of humoral immune response in mink (Mustela vison): antibody production and detection.
abstract: A method for investigating the humoral immune response in mink (Mustela vison) was developed between October 1993 and March 1994. Protein A, 1:8000 dilution, had a high affinity for mink immunoglobulin, while anti-ferret (Mustela putorius) antibody, 1:200 dilution, had a weaker affinity. Four adult mink were immunized with a hapten, dinitrophenol (DNP), conjugated to a large carrier protein, keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), and received two boosters at 3-week intervals. This provoked a strong T-lymphocyte dependent humoral immune response. An indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to quantify the antibody produced. All mink had undetectable anti-DNP-KLH antibody in the pre-immune sera, with antibody levels increasing post-immunization, and peaking after the first or second booster.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Godson
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D004140:Dinitrophenols / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets / Q000276:immunology; D006241:Haptens / Q000276:immunology*; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology*; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization / Q000662:veterinary*; D007117:Immunization, Secondary / Q000662:veterinary; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008907:Mink / Q000276:immunology*; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D004140:Dinitrophenols; D006241:Haptens; D007106:Immune Sera; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin