Inhibition by Anti-µ Chain Sera of the Cellular Transfer of Antibody and Immunoglobulin Synthesis in Mice

Abstract

Unprimed mouse spleen cells were incubated in vitro with various class specific rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin sera. Cells were washed and transferred into syngeneic or allotype congenic irradiated recipients. Syngeneic recipients were stimulated at the time of cell transfer with sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) and Brucella abortus. At 7 days their IgM response to SRBC and B. abortus was significantly depressed following pretreatment with anti-µ chain sera, but not with anti-γ chain sera. Congenic recipients were serially bled and levels of donor type IgG immunoglobulins were determined by allotype specific inhibition of precipitation assays. Marked suppression of the transfer of donor type IgG of all classes was obtained by pretreatment with anti-µ chain sera.