Neonatal ingestion of IgG-containing milk increases the survival of adoptively transferred B-lineage cells in B cell-deficient mice.
This study shows that neonatal ingestion of immunoglobulin-containing milk increases the survival of adoptively transferred B-lineage cells in non-irradiated B cell-deficient (mu-/-) mice. Neonatal mu-/- mice were either transferred to lactating mu+/+ foster dams, allowing them to suckle IgG-containing milk, or were kept with their mu-) dams, without IgG in the milk. After adoptive transfer of spleen cells as adults, serum-IgG levels, numbers of plasma cells, T and B cells in spleen and bone marrow were determined. The results showed that the mice which had received milk-IgG had significantly higher levels of serum-IgG and splenic B cells, as well as a higher number of Ig-secreting cells in spleen and bone marrow. This indicates that the mice might have been tolerised against IgG as neonates, if allowed to ingest Ig-containing milk. There is, however, a possibility that B cells in the milk may also contribute to the observed tolerising effect. In summary, the results suggest that 'cross-fostering' could be a suitable method to facilitate the long-term reconstitution of B- and plasma cell numbers in non-irradiated B cell-deficient mice.
Arvola
M
M
Department of Animal Development and Genetics, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden. marie.arvola@ebc.uu.se
Gustafsson
E
E
Mattsson
R
R
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008892:Milk / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014185:Transplantation, Isogeneic
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains