Inheritance of antibody specificity V. Anti-2-phenyloxazolone in the mouse

Antibodies to hapten 2-phenyloxazolone (phOx) of all BALB/c and DBA/2 mice have the same idiotype and the same major (public) isoelectric focusing pattern whose main spectrotype is called Ox-1. Neither of these characteristics could be readily demonstrated in anti-phOx antibodies of C57BL, C3H or LP mice; these antibodies were heterogeneous, and lacked public spectrotypes. Also, a fine specificty difference could be demonstrated between anti-phOx antibodies of BALB/c and C5MBL mice; the latter have a higher relative affinity than the former for a structural analogue of phOx (2-o-iodophenyloxazolone). The three BALB/c characteristics were inherited in congenic and recombinant inbred strains as an allotype-linked block, defining a new VH marker, VHphOx. Murine anti-phOx antibodies were found to exhibit three types of conservatism: (a) Every individual mouse of strains BALB/c, DBA/2 or BAB-14 had an almost indistinguishable IEF pattern. (b) These patterns (and the cross-reactive idiotype) remained virtually unchanged during an immunization course of 70 days. (c) An identical idiotype (and in some cases IEF pattern) was present in mouse strains of five different allogroups.     

Idiotype-antiidiotype regulation. V. The requirement for immunization with antigen or monoclonal antiidiotypic antibodies for the activation of beta 2 leads to 6 and beta 2 leads to 1 polyfructosan-reactive clones in BALB/c mice treated at birth with minute amounts of anti-A48 idiotype antibodies

The anti-beta 2 leads to 6 fructosan antibodies sharing the idiotypes (Id) of ABPC48 (A48) monoclonal protein represent a silent fraction of the anti-beta 2 leads to 6 fructosan repertoire, since these antibodies cannot be detected during a conventional immune response elicited by bacterial levan (BL). However, the administration at birth of minute amounts of anti-A48 Id antibodies causes a long-lasting activation of A48 Id+-bearing clones. This activation is related to direct interaction of anti-A48 Id antibodies with precursors bearing the A48 Id+ immunoglobulin receptor, since an A48 Id+ response can be transferred with highly purified B cells in lethally irradiated mice. The maturation of these precursors into A48 Id+ anti-beta 2 leads to 6 fructosan antibody-secreting cells requires challenge by the antigen. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) data showed that in 1-mo-old mice an UPC10 (U10)-like spectrotype was observed, whereas in 3-mo-old mice, a new spectrotype binding BL rather than inulin (In) was identified. This spectrotype was observed only in CXBJ mice, the single strain in which an A48 Id+ response was observed. The antigenic challenge can be replaced by a monoclonal anti-A48 Id antibody (i.e., 17-38). Interestingly, in 1-mo-old BALB/c mice treated with anti-A48 Id antibodies, the challenge with 17-38 monoclonal antibody led to the activation of A48 Id- anti-beta 2 leads to 6 fructosan-reactive clones with BALB/c type IEF spectrotypes, whereas in 3-mo-old BALB/c mice treated with anti-A48 Id antibodies, the challenge with 17-38 monoclonal antibody led to the activation of W3082 IdX+ anti-beta 2 leads to 6 and beta 2 leads to 1 fructosan-reactive clones. In these animals, inhibition of A48 Id+ anti-beta 2 leads to 6 fructosan clones was observed. This antibody probably represents a homobody carrying the internal image of the antigen, which through its paratope suppresses the A48 Id+ response and through its Id activates an A48 Id- anti-beta 2 leads to 6 fructosan response in 1-mo-old mice and in 3-mo-old mice leads to an anti-beta 2 leads to 6 and beta 2 leads to 1 fructosan response dominated by the W3082 IdX.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

GENETICS OF RESTRICTED ANTIBODIES TO STREPTOCOCCAL GROUP POLYSACCHARIDES IN MICE : I. STRAIN DIFFERENCES OF ISOELECTRIC FOCUSING SPECTRA OF GROUP A HYPERIMMUNE ANTISERA

The immune response of nine inbred and one outbred strain of mice to the streptococcal group A polysaccharide was investigated with respect to magnitude and restriction. Analytical isoelectric focusing served as a tool to estimate the degree of restriction of Group A polysaccharide-specific antibodies. It proved feasible to distinguish low and intermediate from high responder strains, and to delineate strain-specificity of isoelectric focusing spectra of the immune sera. For example, immune sera of BALB/c mice, restricted high responders, and of C57BL/6 mice, heterogeneous low responders, had distinct focusing properties. Responsiveness was a dominant autosomal genetic trait in C57BL/6 x BALB/c F₁ hybrid mice, irrespective of the maternal and the paternal genotype; the immune sera of these mice had their own, rather uniform isoelectric focusing spectra whereby structural genes of the low responder strain were expressed to predominant levels in 81% of the hybrids. Responsiveness in C57BL/6 x BALB/c F₂ progeny segregated into 79% high and 21% low responders, and showed no genetic linkage to the following characteristics: hair color, sex, H-2 type, and Ig allotype of the heavy chain. The isoelectric focusing properties of these immune sera indicated segregation into patterns like BALB/c mice (40%), F₁ hybrids (48%), and C57BL/6 mice (12%). Since this segregation is independent of any of the above criteria in these F₂ mice a regulatory gene(s) is postulated that controls the clonal pattern of the immune response.     

Induction of a cross-reactive idiotype dextran-positive antibody response in two IgH-Cb mouse strains treated with anti-J558 cross-reactive idiotype antibodies

The effect of IdX-specific rabbit and allogeneic antiidiotype antibodies (Ab2) was investigated in vivo in Igh-Cb mouse strains with respect to the induction of a cross-reactive idiotype (IdX)-positive anti-alpha (1-3) Dextran (Dex) response. These C.B20 and C57Bl/6 mice have an allotype-linked incapacity to respond with IdX-positive anti-alpha (1-3) Dex antibodies upon conventional immunization with Dex B1355. 7 d after the rabbit Ab2 injections, IdX-positive Ig (Ab3) and IdX-positive anti-alpha (1-3) Dex antibodies (Ab1') were detected in the sera of each tested mouse. The affinity-purified Ab1' were idiotypically indistinguishable from reference BALB/c IdX-positive myeloma proteins and BALB/c anti-alpha (1-3) Dex antibodies (Ab1) in a competitive inhibition radioimmunoassay, while Ab3 Ig appeared idiotypically deficient and did not bind to Dex. The response to the alpha (1-6) linkage of Dex was not affected in these mice. A large fraction of the Ab1' and Ab3 responses of both mouse strains were of the IgG1 class. The Ab1' antibodies differed from BALB/c Ab1 by lower relative binding to five of eight tested Dex, and by expressing the Igh4b allotype determinants on the IgG1 antibodies. This study identifies the products of a VHDex gene that appears to be under regulatory control in the Ighb mice. Its association with the b haplotype suggests that this gene may differ structurally from the BALB/c VHDex gene.     

The antibody response to specific immune complexes is under genetic control and correlates with the expression of a recurrent idiotype

The primary antigen-specific antibody response of various strains of mice to TEPC-15/PnC immune complexes has been examined. We found that both BALB/c and C3H mice were good responders to the PnC antigen; however, C3H mice were low responders, whereas BALB/c mice were high responders to the TEPC-15/PnC complexes. Using congenic strains on the C3H and BALB/c background, we have shown that the response to the complexes is not restricted by gene products of the H-2 complex or by the Igh (allotype) locus. However, responsiveness may be controlled by genes linked to the Igh locus, since we have shown that strains that are Ighj, Ighd, and Ighf are low responders, whereas strains that are Igha, Ighb, and Ighe are high responders to the immune complex. Moreover, responsiveness correlates with the expression of the T15 Id as measured using the anti-T15 monoclonal antibody, AB1-2. Thus, strains such as BALB/c, BALB.B, BALB.K, and CB-20, which express high levels of T15 (AB1-2) Id in their PFC response to PnC are relatively high responders to TEPC-15/PnC complexes, whereas C3H, C3H.SW, and C3H-OH, which express low levels of the T15 (AB1-2) Id, are low responders to the complexes. Finally, we found that BALB/c mice are high responders to complexes formed with T15+ antibodies, whereas they are low responders to complexes formed using T15- antibodies. The results suggest that the antigen-specific response to these immune complexes is Id-restricted.     

A new gene that controls the type of leukemia induced by Friend murine leukemia virus

NB tropic Friend murine leukemia virus (F-MuLV) replicates equally well in BALB/c and C57BL mice inoculated as neonates but causes almost exclusively erythroblastosis in BALB/c mice and nonerythroid (lymphoid and myelogenous) leukemias in C57BL mice. The C57BL resistance to erythroblastosis appears to be controlled by a single dominant gene in first and second backcrosses to BALB/c. This resistance to erythroblastosis is distinct from other genes known to affect susceptibility to Friend virus including Fv-1, Fv-2, H-2, Rfv-3, Fv-4, and Rmcf. We suggest the name Fhe for the new gene controlling susceptibility to Friend helper virus erythroblastosis.     

Heavy chain variable region. Multiple gene segments encode anti-4- (hydroxy-3-nitro-phenyl)acetyl idiotypic antibodies

The hapten (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP), when conjugated to carrier proteins, elicits a characteristic idiotypic response (NPb) in C57BL/6 mice. The response can be divided serologically into two distinct NPb-positive groups of antibodies. The first group consists of four crossreacting subgroups (I-IV), the second of two subgroups (V, VI). Some antibodies of subgroups I and II have been shown to express the unmutated heavy chain variable region (VH) germline gene 186.2. Antibodies of subgroups V and VI crossreact extensively with the NPa-positive antibodies of BALB/c mice. We sequenced heavy chain complementary DNA from eight hybridomas producing anti-NP antibodies. Six of these belong to subgroups V and VI, and two were NPa-positive hybridomas of BALB/c origin. All sequences were homologous to each other, and differed by approximately 80 basepairs from the 186.2 C57BL/6 germline VH gene. From our sequence and Southern blot analyses we suggest: (a) the NPb idiotypic response is the product of several VH germline genes, (b) some of these genes are very homologous to the gene coding for the BALB/c NPa idiotype, and might represent the C57BL/6 allelic forms of this gene, (c) the diversity regions of NPb and NPa-positive antibodies are diverse in length and amino acid composition, except for the first residue, which is always tyrosine, (d) all four heavy chain joining region gene segments are expressed without mutation. We discuss our data in terms of diversity in the germline VH gene repertoire, as well as diversity created by gene segment-joining events and somatic mutation.     

GRAFT-VS.-HOST REACTIONS IN RECIPROCAL HYBRID MICE : I. DISSOCIATION OF T-CELL ACTIVITIES IN THE MIXED LYMPHOCYTE REACTION AND TWO GRAFT-VS.-HOST ASSAYS

Spleen cells from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were tested for their reactivity against reciprocal hybrid tissues ((BALB/c x C57BL/6) F₁ and (C57BL/6 x BALB/c) F₁) in three assay systems: the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR); the Simonsen spleen-weight graft-vs.-host (GVH) assay; and a GVH mortality assay. It was shown that both F₁'s serve as equally effective stimulators of parental cells in the MLR. In the spleen-weight assay, BALB/c and C57BL/6 cells were equally active in a given host, but greater splenomegaly was observed in (BALB/c x C57BL/6) F₁ hosts regardless of the donor strain. By contrast, BALB/c cells were much less lethal than C57BL/6 cells in (BALB/c x C57BL/6) F₁ hosts than in (C57BL/6 x BALB/c) F₁ hosts, and to a lesser degree C57BL/6 cells were less lethal than BALB/c cells in (C57BL/6 x BALB/c) F₁ hosts. The possibility that modifying substances may differentially alter reactivity of parental lymphocytes and that considerations other than genotype determine the outcome of a GVH reaction are discussed in detail.     

Innate immune response in Th1- and Th2-dominant mouse strains

C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice are prototypical Th1- and Th2-type mouse strains, respectively. In the present study, we attempted to characterize the innate immune response of macrophages from these mouse strains. Macrophages from C57BL/6 mice produced higher levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin (IL)-12 than those from BALB/c mice after stimulation with macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 (MALP-2, a synthetic TLR-2 ligand) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS, a TLR-4 ligand). The augmented IL-12 production by C57BL/6 macrophages increased interferon-gamma and, in contrast, decreased IL-13 production by CD4+ T cells. On stimulation with MALP-2 or LPS, C57BL/6 macrophages produced lysosomal enzyme and nitric oxide, effector molecules for bacterial killing, whereas BALB/c macrophages did not. Bactericidal activity of BALB/c macrophages was impaired relative to C57BL/6 macrophages when cells were infected with live bacteria in vitro. In a murine model of septic peritonitis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), BALB/c mice failed to facilitate bacterial clearance relative to C57BL/6 mice despite an augmented peritoneal leukocyte infiltration that was associated with increased peritoneal levels of cytokines/chemokines. BALB/c mice exhibited increased plasma and hepatic levels of cytokines/chemokines, resulting in an exaggerated systemic inflammation as determined by acute-phase proteins. Finally, BALB/c mice were vulnerable to CLP-induced lethality relative to C57BL/6 mice. Altogether, innate immune response of macrophages is different between these mouse strains, which may affect the development of Th1 and Th2 adaptive immunity in these strains. Reduced systemic inflammatory response in C57BL/6 mice that may result from an eminent local response appears to be beneficial during sepsis.     

Sendai virus-specific, H-2-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses of nude mice grafted with allogeneic or semi-allogeneic thymus glands

The in vitro secondary cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response to Sendai virus-treated stimulator cells by primed spleen cells from thymus gland-grafted nude mice was examined. BALB/c (H-2d) nude mice grafted with allogeneic C57BL/10 (H-2b) thymus glands developed CTL responses directed exclusively to Sendai virus-infected H-2d target cells. (C57BL/6 X BALB/c)F1 nude mice grafted with thymus glands of either parent developed CTL responses preferentially against infected target cells expressing the MHC antigens present in the parental thymus graft, but also had detectable activity for infected target cells of the parental haplotype not expressed in the thymus. These results provide evidence against the concept that self recognition by MHC-restricted CTL is directed exclusively by the MCH type of the thymus.     

Cross-priming for a secondary cytotoxic response to minor H antigens with H-2 congenic cells which do not cross-react in the cytotoxic assay

Cytotoxic effector T cells of F1 (BALB/c X BALB.B) (H-2d/b) mice immunized against the minor histocompatibility differences of C57BL/10 (H-2b) can lyse targets from C57BL/10, but cannot lyse B10.D2 (H-2d) targets. Despite this lack of cross-reaction in the cytotoxic assay, C57BL/10 cells do prime F1 (BALB/c X BALB.B) mice for a secondary cytotoxic response to B10.D2. C57BL/10-primed, B10.D2-boosted cytotoxic cells lyse B10.D2 targets but not C57BL/10 targets. DBA/2 (H-2d) spleen cells or thymocytes prime F1 mice for a secondary response to DBA/2, B10.D2, and C57BL/10 cells, but DBA/2 mastocytes, P815, do not prime for a response to C57BL/10. Whether H-2 congenic lymphoid cells express minor histocompatibility determinants which cross-react at the cytotoxic T-cell level or the helper T-cell level is discussed.     

Ly49A 基因转染的淋巴细胞对H—2^d小鼠正常和肿瘤细胞杀伤活性的实验研究

目的观察Ly49A基因转染的C57BL/6小鼠的淋巴细胞对BALB/c小鼠正常成纤维细胞和4T1乳腺癌细胞杀伤能力的变化与差异。方法构建逆转录病毒表达载体pLXSN-Ly49A,经由PA317包装细胞包装后转染C57BL/6小鼠淋巴细胞。流式细胞仪检测Ly49A受体在转染后淋巴细胞上的表达率。MTT法检测转染后淋巴细胞对BALB/c小鼠正常成纤维细胞和4T1乳腺癌细胞的杀伤活性,以空载体转染和未转染的淋巴细胞作对照。结果Ly49A基因转染的C57BL/6小鼠的淋巴细胞24?h后Ly49A受体表达率为(46.67±0.35)%,空载体转染组为(18.73±0.85)%,未转染对照组为(19.60±0.27)％,其对BALB/c小鼠正常成纤维细胞的杀伤活性明显降低(抑制率22％～25%),对4T1乳腺癌细胞的杀伤活性无明显改变（P＞0.05）。结论转染Ly49A的C57BL/6小鼠淋巴细胞对BALB/c小鼠正常细胞的杀伤作用明显降低,但仍保留了对肿瘤细胞的杀伤活性,为解决异基因骨髓移植后移植物抗宿主病提供了实验依据。     

Interleukin 1alpha promotes Th1 differentiation and inhibits disease progression in Leishmania major-susceptible BALB/c mice

Protective immunity against pathogens such as Leishmania major is mediated by interleukin (IL)-12-dependent Th1-immunity. We have shown previously that skin-dendritic cells (DCs) from both resistant C57BL/6 and susceptible BALB/c mice release IL-12 when infected with L. major, and infected BALB/c DCs effectively vaccinate against leishmaniasis. To determine if cytokines other than IL-12 might influence disease outcome, we surveyed DCs from both strains for production of a variety of cytokines. Skin-DCs produced significantly less IL-1alpha in response to lipopolysaccharide/interferon gamma or L. major when expanded from BALB/c as compared with C57BL/6 mice. In addition, IL-1alpha mRNA accumulation in lymph nodes of L. major-infected BALB/c mice was approximately 3-fold lower than that in C57BL/6 mice. Local injections of IL-1alpha during the first 3 d after infection led to dramatic, persistent reductions in lesion sizes. In L. major-infected BALB/c mice, IL-1alpha administration resulted in increased Th1- and strikingly decreased Th2-cytokine production. IL-1alpha and IL-12 treatments were similarly effective, and IL-1alpha efficacy was strictly IL-12 dependent. These data indicate that transient local administration of IL-1alpha acts in conjunction with IL-12 to influence Th-development in cutaneous leishmaniasis and prevents disease progression in susceptible BALB/c mice, perhaps by enhancing DC-induced Th1-education. Differential production of IL-1 by C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice may provide a partial explanation for the disparate outcomes of infection in these mouse strains.     

Susceptibility to Friend helper virus leukemias in CXB recombinant inbred mice

The seven CXB recombinant inbred strains were tested for susceptibility to Friend helper virus (F-MuLV) hematopoietic neoplasms. BALB/c and CXB- H mice develop erythroblastosis after neonatal inoculation with F-MuLV, while C57BL/6 and the six other RI strains develop lymphoma and myelogenous leukemia. This strain distribution pattern is different from that for H-2, Gpd-1 (linked to Fv-1), Fv-2, Rfv-3, and Cv (linked to Rmcf) but the same as that for Bv, the endogenous ecotropic virus of C57BL/6. However, analysis of crosses segregating Bv show that resistance to F-MuLV erythroblastosis is not linked to Bv. Disease-free survival is shortest for BALB/c mice, intermediate for CXB-H and CXB-J, and longest for C57BL/6 and the other RI strains. We conclude: (a) the major C57BL/6 gene for resistance to F-MuLV erythroblastosis is different from previously identified Friend virus restriction loci; (b) latency for F-MuLV leukemias is controlled by more than one gene; and (c) latency and susceptibility to F-MuLV erythroblastosis are not inherited concordantly in the CXB-RI strains.     

Reciprocal expression of interferon gamma or interleukin 4 during the resolution or progression of murine leishmaniasis. Evidence for expansion of distinct helper T cell subsets

We purified poly(A)+ mRNA from the spleen and lymph nodes at designated times after infection with Leishmania major in genetically susceptible BALB/c and resistant C57BL/6 mice. The steady-state levels of IL-2, IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-1 beta mRNA were determined using Northern hybridizations. IL-2 mRNA levels in the infected organs of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were comparable after infection, but IFN-gamma and IL-4 mRNA levels were reciprocally expressed. Levels of IFN-gamma mRNA in C57BL/6 draining nodes and spleen were significantly greater than in BALB/c mice except at 4 and 6 wk of infection, when splenic IFN-gamma mRNA levels were transiently comparable. In contrast, IL-4 mRNA was apparent only in BALB/c and not in C57BL/6 nodes and spleen. Tissue levels of IL-1 beta mRNA were 10-20-fold greater in BALB/c mice. BALB/c mice were pretreated with GK1.5 mAb, a manipulation that promotes healing of subsequent infection by transiently depleting L3T4+ cells. At 8 wk of infection, by which time lymphoid organs were repopulated with L3T4+ cells, GK1.5-pretreated BALB/c mice produced IFN-gamma, but not IL-4 message. Serum levels of IgE were markedly elevated in infected BALB/c, but not in infected C57BL/6 or GK1.5-pretreated BALB/c mice, consistent with in vivo biologic activity of IL-4 in nonhealing mice. Treatment of infected BALB/c mice with neutralizing anti-IL-4 antibody abolished the elevation of serum IgE and significantly attenuated the progression of disease as assessed by size and ulceration of the lesion, and by reduction in the number of tissue parasites. Both protective and deleterious responses to Leishmania infection have previously been shown to be L3T4+ cell dependent. Our findings are consistent with the differential expansion of protective, IFN-gamma-producing Th1 cells in healing mice, and the expansion of deleterious, IL-4-producing Th2 cells in nonhealing mice. The inverse relationship of IFN-gamma and IL-4 gene expression during leishmaniasis may underlie the divergence of cellular and humoral immunity that occurs during chronic infection with Leishmania and possibly other intracellular parasites.     

INHERITANCE OF ANTIBODY SPECIFICITY : I. Anti-(4-Hydroxy-3-Nitrophenyl)Acetyl of the Mouse Primary Response

Our data suggest that fine specificity of antihapten antibodies is a useful Mendelian marker of variable (V) genes. We found that some mouse strains (e.g., C57/BL6) consistently produced heteroclitic anti-(4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP) antibodies (relative affinity for related (4-hydroxy-5-iodo-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl and (4-hydroxy-3.5-dinitrophenyl)acetyl was always >2) while other strains (e.g., CBA) produced "conventional" anti-NP antibodies (relative affinities were consistently <1). 48 (CBA x C57BL/6)F₁ mice were studied and most of them had heteroclitic anti-NP antibodies. They were backcrossed to the recessive CBA parent, and 87 backcross animals were similarly tested. Those heterozygous for the C57BL/6 heavy (H)-chain allotype were similar to the C57BL/6 and the F₁ mice while mice homozygous for the CBA allotype were indistinguishable from the CBA. Such monogenic inheritance was observed only in the primary response. Predominance of allotype-linked genes in the control of the fine specificity characteristics was confirmed by immunizing selected homozygous mouse strains. These mice contained various mixtures of genes from C57BL, BALB/c, and other strains. Specificity of their anti-NP was exclusively determined by genes linked to the H-chain allotype, no influence could be attributed to other genes including the H-2-linked genes.     

Cellular basis of graft versus host tolerance in chimeras prepared with total lymphoid irradiation

BALB/c mice given allogeneic (C57BL/Ka) bone marrow cells after toal lymphoid irradiation become stable chimeras approximately 80% donor- type and 20% host-type cells in the spleen. The chimeras doe not develop graft vs. host disease (GVHD). Purified cells of C57BL/Ka origin from the chimeras mediated GVHD in lightly irradiated C3H (third party), but not in BALB/c (host-strain) mice. Thus graft vs. host tolerance in the chimeras could not be explained by complete immunodeficiency of donor-type cells, serum blocking factors, or suppressor cells of host (BALB/c) origin. Clonal deletion or suppression of lymphocytes reactive with host tissues remain possible explanations. The transfer of donor-type chimeric spleen cells to BALB/c recipients given 500-550 rad whole-body irradiation WBI led to stable mixed chimerism in approximately 50% of recipients. The cells were presumably acting as tolerogens because similarly irradiated BALB/c mice given (BALB/c X C57BL/Ka)F1 spleen or bone marrow cells also became stable mixed chimeras.     

Mechanism of unresponsiveness to the alpha 1-6 epitope of dextran B512 in a C57BL substrain

C57BL/10ScCr mice are low responders to the alpha 1-6 epitope of dextran B512, although other C57BL mice are high responders. Both thymus-independent and thymus-dependent forms of dextran failed to induce an immune response in C57BL/10ScCr mice, but dextran functioned as a good carrier for antihapten responses in this strain. Dextran is a potent polyclonal B cell activator for cells from C57BL/10ScCr mice, although such cells are not activated by LPS. The C57BL/10ScCr mice possess the Igh-V gene coding for antibodies against dextran and the antidextran antibodies induced in (A X C57BL/10ScCr)F1 hybrids share an idiotype with antidextran antibodies produced in C57BL/10 mice. Bone marrow cells from C57BL/10ScCr mice do not respond to dextran when transferred into lethally irradiated C57BL/10 mice and C57BL/10 cells transferred into C57BL/10ScCr mice give a strong antidextran response. Thus, B cells having both the Igh-V gene coding for antibodies against dextran and activation receptors for dextran cannot be activated into antibody synthesis against any form of this immunogen. This determinant specific immunodeficiency suggests the existence of as yet unknown regulatory influences on Igh-V gene expression or B cell activation.     

Identification of mouse AAV capsid-specific CD8+ T cell epitopes.

Adeno-associated virus has been developed for use as a gene transfer vector. To understand the impact of AAV capsid-specific CD8(+) T cells on AAV-mediated gene transfer, we identified CD8(+) T cell epitopes for AAV-2 and AAV-8 capsid in C57BL/6 (H-2(b) MHC haplotype) and BALB/c (H-2(d) MHC haplotype) mice. Mice of both the H-2(b) and the H-2(d) haplotypes recognized epitopes on AAV-2 and AAV-8 capsid. T cells from H-2(b) mice recognized an epitope that was conserved between AAV-2 and AAV-8 capsid. Cross-reactivity of AAV-specific CD8(+) T cells induced by different AAV serotypes may have important implications for gene transfer. Identification of these epitopes will facilitate studies of immune response to AAV capsid in mouse models.     

Structural, functional, and idiotypic characteristics of a phosphorylcholine-binding IgA myeloma protein of C57BL/ka allotype

An IgA phosphorylcholine (PC)-binding myeloma protein with IgCH allotypic determinants different from those of BALB/c mice is characterized. The myeloma, CBPC 2, was induced in the CB-20 strain of mice which is congenic to BALB/c but differs from it by carrying the A15 allotypic determinant of C57BL/ka mice. Sequence analysis of the CBPC 2 light chain through the first hypervariable region, as well as isoelectric point analysis, show that this chain is indistinguishable from that of T15, a PC-binding myeloma protein of BALB/c origin. The heavy chains of CBPC 2 and T15 differ by only two amino acids (positions 14 and 16) through the first hypervariable region. As measured by inhibition of precipitation, both CBPC 2 and T15 have the same specificity for PC, glycerophosphorylcholine, acetylcholine, and choline. In addition, CBPC 2 possesses the binding site-associated idiotypic determinant which is present on T15. However, like normal or induced C57BL/6 anti-PC antibody, it does not possess the nonbinding site idiotypic determinant.