Induction of immune responsiveness in a genetically low-responsive tumor-host combination by chemical modification of the immunogen

Trinitrophenylated Moloney virus-induced YAC cells induced a higher cytotoxic antibody response and better protection against small tumor cell doses in syngeneic, low-responsive strain A mice than nonmodified YAC cells that had been inactivated by irradiation or mitomycin C treatment. The results indicated that genetically determined low responsiveness to a virally induced antigen can be overcome, at least to some extent, by coupling the immunizing cells to a strong immunogenic hapten.     

Induction of cellular and humoral immunological responsiveness to a soluble cercarial antigen preparation from Schistosoma mansoni.

The development of immunological responsiveness to a soluble cercarial antigenic preparation (CAP) from Schistosoma mansoni was analyzed in inbred CBA/J mice infected with cercariae, one or multiple times, or sensitized using CAP. Repeated exposure to 75 cercariae at three weekly intervals (3X-75) or subcutaneous administration of 20 mug of CAP (CAP/complete Freund adjuvant [CFA]) stimulated the development of specific anti-CAP lymph node cell blastogenesis. The degree of responsiveness was dependent upon the concentration of CAP in the culture system and was optimal in the dose range of 20 to 30 mug of protein of CAP per culture. Animals exposed once to 75 or 225 cercariae or to two sequential weekly infections with 75 cercariae exhibited a minimal response to CAP in comparison to the responsiveness of 3X-75 or CAP/CFA lymph node cells. Assessment of anti-CAP agglutinating antibody by application of a microtiter passive hemagglutination technique revealed that both 3X-75 and CAP/CFA animals possessed low titers of activity. In addition, both 3X-75 and CAP/CFA sera contained reagin-like antibodies to CAP as detected by the heterologous (rat), 72-h latent period, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis technique.     

Recovery of immunological responsiveness in thymectomized mice

After a limited period of immunological unresponsiveness, neonatally thymectomized colony-bred Swiss mice were found to recover their ability to form haemagglutinins and haemolysins as well as their antibody-plaque-forming capacity following injection of sheep erythrocytes. No such spontaneous reconstitution was observed in F₁-hybrids of highly inbred CBA and CBA-T6T6 mice. Adult thymectomized and irradiated Swiss mice similarly regained their ability to form haemolysins and haemagglutinins, but no regeneration of antibody-plaque production occurred in these mice during the period of observation. No regular correlation was found between the degree of immunological deficiency on the one hand and the level of circulating lymphocytes or the histological appearance of the spleens on the other, following neonatal thymectomy or adult thymectomy and irradiation.

The possible mechanism of recovery from immunological impairment after thymectomy and the apparent discrepancies between overall haemolysin production and haemolytic plaque production in the spleen are discussed.

     

Cell-mediated immunological responsiveness in mice decomplemented with cobra venom factor.

In vivo administration of cobra factor (CoF) the C3-activating protein of cobra venom, had no suppressive effect on the in vitro response of lymphocytes to PHA, LPS or allogeneic cells; nor did it affect the generation of cells cytotoxic to allogeneic target cells. HVG reactivity was inhibited by commercially available but not purified CoF, and the latter also failed to prolong skin allograft survival. It is concluded that in vivo complement depletion does not interfere with T cell responses, and that previous reports of prolonged survival of skin allografts and inhibition of cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity reactions following treatment with CoF may have been due to impurities in the preparations used.     

Dynamic analysis of an avian drinking response

The drinking response of the water deprived pigeon is analysed by means of feedback theory. The techniques utilized include limiting the rate of water injestion in an operant situation, interrupting the drinking response for a specified interval, and altering the salinity of the drinking water. The results indicate that the drinking response is basically an exponential function of time, the time-constant being determined by the gain of an injestion mechanism, and independent of the absorption constant. The amount of water injested is attenuated as a function of injestion rate, and a thirst-threshold is thought to be responsible for this. The drinking response can be simulated by a second-order feedback mechanism, in which the damping factor is determined by the salinity of the injested water.     

HSPs对呼吸道合胞病毒重组蛋白抗原免疫应答的调节作用

目的考察热休克蛋白HSP70对呼吸道合胞病毒(RSV)重组蛋白抗原G1F/M2免疫应答的调节作用。方法构建并表达了Javelin-G1F/M2重组蛋白,在G1F/M2的N端引入Javelin序列,通过该序列可以实现重组蛋白与HSP70蛋白高亲和力结合。以HSP70:Javelin-G1F/M2复合物等免疫Balb/c小鼠,用乳酸脱氢酶释放法测定CTL活性,ELISA法测定IgG及其亚型IgG1和IgG2a抗体滴度,空斑抑制实验测定血清中和抗体。结果经表达和纯化获得了纯度达90%以上的融合蛋白;皮下免疫HSP70:Javelin-G1F/M2复合物可诱导高滴度的IgG抗体和强的CTL应答,其抗体滴度和CTL应答强度均优于Javelin-G1F/M2加铝佐剂腹腔免疫和单独Javelin-G1F/M2皮下免疫。HSP70:Javelin-G1F/M2复合物在诱导中和抗体方面与Javelin-G1F/M2加铝佐剂腹腔免疫基本相当。HSP70:Javelin-G1F/M2复合物可以诱导更强的IgG2a应答,IgG的亚型IgG1/IgG2a的比值明显低于Javelin-G1F/M2加铝佐剂腹腔免疫组和单独Javelin-G1F/M2皮下免疫组。结论 HSP70可能通过增强CTL应答进一步纠正Th2型优势应答,使得Th1/Th2应答更加平衡。     

The immunological responsiveness of germ-free mice thymectomized at birth. II. Lymphoid tissue and histopathology

The effect of neonatal thymectomy and antigenic stimulation on the lymphoid cell population has been studied in germ-free mice. Neither thymectomy nor injection of sheep erythrocytes induced any significant alteration in the blood lymphocyte levels. There was a clear-cut reduction in the cellularity of the periarteriolar lymphocyte sheaths of the spleen and of the paracortical regions of the lymph nodes in the thymectomized mice. Following stimulation with sheep erythrocytes, large pyroninophilic cells appeared in these areas in the intact germ-free controls but in only a few thymectomized mice and then in reduced numbers. Thymectomy did not influence the cellularity of the lymphoid follicles but less germinal centre and plasma cell activity occurred in response to an injection of sheep erythrocytes. Lesions suggestive of autoimmune reactivity were not found in lymphoid or nonlymphoid tissues of neonatally thymectomized germ-free mice. Lesions typical of viral infections were seen in some germ-free mice in both thymectomized and intact groups. It is concluded that the specific defect associated with the absence of the thymus is a reduction in a particular class of lymphocytes the development of which is under thymus control and the activities of which are to mediate certain defined immunological responses.     

Induction of immunological tolerance to the chemical carcinogens in early ontogenesis.

It is postulated that the induction of immunological tolerance to chemical carcinogens is due to the penetration of carcinogens and its albumin and DNA adducts from the maternal organism into the embryo. Maternal serum lgG-antibodies to carcinogens promote the transportation of carcinogens and adducts into the embryo through placenta and thus stimulate the tolerance induction. On the contrary, maternal secretory lgA-antibodies to carcinogens protect maternal, embryonal and new-born organisms from environmental carcinogens and thus inhibit the tolerance induction. The low individual maternal secretory lgA/serum lgG ratio leads to the immunological tolerance to carcinogens both in embryos and children.     

Induction of immunological tolerance by chimeric thymus transplantation

The role of bone marrow derived cells (BMD) within the thymus during the induction of immunological tolerance was investigated using transplantation of chimeric thymuses. Chimeric thymuses were constructed by reconstituting lethally irradiated BALB/C recipients with T-cell depleted C3H bone marrow (BM) cells. Two to three months post bone marrow transplantation the thymuses of these animals, in which the epithelium was of BALB/C origin and BMD cells of C3H origin (verified by immunoperoxidase staining), were transplanted into thymectomized, lethally irradiated BALB/C recipients which were reconstituted with T-cell depleted syngeneic (BALB/C) bone marrow cells. Induction of specific tolerance to the BMD cells (C3H origin) present in the chimeric thymus could be demonstrated in MLR at 3 to 6 months post chimeric thymus transplantation. It is concluded that bone marrow derived cells are able to induce immunological tolerance within the thymus.     

Immune responsiveness following academic stress in first-year medical students.

Many studies illustrate that physical or psychologic stressors can alter human immune function, which might predispose one to an increased susceptibility to infections. In the present study, we monitored immune responsiveness in 16 first-year medical students (age 23.8 +/- 2.2 years) during the first examination session. Baseline blood samples were collected 30 days prior to the first examination session. Subsequently, subjects were randomly assigned to two groups, and blood samples were collected at 24 h (POST24h) or 48 h (POST48h) after an examination. The percentage of CD3(+), CD3(+)CD4(+), CD3(+)CD8(+), CD3(+)CD45RO(+), CD3(+)CD45RA(+), CD3(-)CD16(+)56(+), CD19(+), and CD14(+) cells in whole blood was examined to determine changes in circulating immune cell populations. Activation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with a mixture of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and ionomycin or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 4 h was used to assess the distribution of interleukin-2 (IL-2)-secreting or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-secreting CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells, as well as IL-1alpha-secreting CD14(+) cells. Activation with a combination of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and LPS was used to assess secretion of IL-2, IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-10, soluble IL-2 receptor-alpha (sIL-2Ralpha), IL-1beta, and IL-1R antagonist (IL-1Ra) by PBMC in 48-h cell culture. A significantly higher level of total T cells was found at POST24h, and CD14(+) was elevated at both POST24h and POST48h. The percentage of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells significantly declined at POST24 and POST48h. A significant elevation in the percentage of memory T cells was observed at POST48h, whereas the percentage of naive T cells was elevated at POST24h and POST48h. These changes were accompanied by a significant decline in percentage of natural killer (NK) cells 24 h after the examination. The percentage of IL-2-producing CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells was significantly lower at POST24h, and the percentage of CD8(+)IFN-gamma(+) cells significantly declined at POST48h. The percentage of CD14(+)IL-1alpha(+) significantly declined at both POST24 and POST48h. A significant decrease was observed in IL-2 secretion 24 h after the examinations, and the secretion of IL-4 and IL-1beta significantly declined at POST48h. No changes in IFN-gamma, IL-10, sIL-2Ralpha, and IL-1Ra secretion were observed. We conclude that the stress outcomes of academic examinations in first-year medical students can significantly alter immune cell distribution and in vitro production and secretion of specific cytokines.     

Changes in bronchial responsiveness following nasal provocation with allergen.

The relationship between upper airway inflammation and asthma is controversial. In the current study, we sought to investigate the relationship between allergic rhinitis and lower airway dysfunction by performing double-blind, randomized nasal challenges with allergen or placebo. Subjects were selected for a prior history of asthma exacerbations after the onset of seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms. After the induction of a marked nasal-allergic reaction (with a technique of nasal provocation that limited allergen delivery to the nose), there were no changes in FEV1, specific conductance, or lung volumes either 30 minutes or 4 1/2 hours after nasal allergen challenge, nor any changes in peak flow rates followed hourly until the next day. However, nasal provocation with allergen resulted in a relative increase in bronchial responsiveness to methacholine compared with that to placebo (p = 0.011 at 30 minutes and p = 0.0009 at 4 1/2 hours after challenge). Our study suggests that, although a nasal-allergic response does not induce airflow limitation of the lower airways, it can alter bronchial responsiveness.     

The immunological responsiveness of germ-free mice thymectomized at birth. I. Antibody production and skin homograft rejection

The responses of conventional and germ-free mice thymectomized at birth to sheep erythrocytes and to skin homografts have been investigated. Antibody production to sheep erythrocytes was depressed to an equal extent in thymectomized germ-free and conventional mice. Skin graft rejection in thymectomized germ-free mice was impaired in some cases although the extent of the impairment was generally not as extreme as it was in thymectomized conventional mice. The implications of the results are discussed. It is concluded that a primary consequence of thymectomy is some degree of immunological impairment but that other factors operating in the conventional state, such as bacterial contamination, endotoxins and cross-reacting antigens, act to reduce even further the number of antigen-reactive cells available in an already limited pool of immunologically competent cells.     

Induction of immunological memory in the skin. Role of local T cell retention

Using an experimental contact sensitivity model in guinea-pigs, evidence is presented that hapten (DNCB or oxazolone) specific T lymphocytes may persist for several months in previous sites of inflammation. Immunological memory, revealed by accelerated contact skin reactions upon retesting with the hapten, was limited to the original contact skin reaction sites. This 'local skin memory' to DNCB or oxazolone could be induced in both specific and non-specific skin inflammatory reactions, provided the animals had been sensitized to the hapten not longer than 2 weeks before. In animals which had been sensitized more than 1 month earlier, local skin memory could be induced if the animals received a booster application of hapten shortly (0-2 days) before primary skin testing. From these results we conclude that recently activated T cells may enter inflammatory sites non-specifically, producing specific local immunological memory. This memory may last several months. Accumulation of hapten specific T cells at inflammatory sites may be important in retest reactivity, in flare-up reactivity and in chronic inflammation.