THE ALLOGENEIC EFFECT IN INBRED MICE : III. UNIQUE ANTIGENIC STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE EXPRESSION OF THE PHENOMENON ON UNPRIMED CELL POPULATIONS IN VIVO

The allogeneic effect has been shown to replace the requirement for carrier-specific helper thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes in secondary antihapten antibody responses in guinea pigs or mice. Attempts to enhance primary antibody responses to either 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP)-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) or DNP-ovalbumin (OVA) by the allogeneic effect have failed, and frequently result in suppression. However, the present studies have demonstrated a clear allogeneic effect on primary anti-DNP responses to a DNP-conjugate of the copolymer of D-glutamic acid and D-lysine, DNP-D-GL. This compound, for which no carrier-specific helper T cells exist, normally induces a state of DNP-specific tolerance in the doses employed. However, normal (BALB/c x A/J)F(1) recipients developed primary anti-DNP antibody responses, and of the IgG class, when DNP-D-GL was administered shortly after the transfer of allogeneic parental A strain lymphoid cells. To test the possibility that the presence of KLH-specific T lymphocytes might inhibit the expression of the allogeneic effect on the primary response to DNP-KLH, studies were undertaken using T cell-depleted spleen cells. In this model, the allogeneic effect again enhanced the primary response to DNP-D-GL, but still failed to enhance the primary response to DNP-KLH. These studies indicate that the structure of the molecule employed and its specific interaction with the bone marrow-derived (B) cell membrane may be critical in the capacity of primed and unprimed B cells to be influenced by the allogeneic effect.