Possible relationships between antibodies and non-specific immunoglobulins simultaneously induced after antigenic stimulation

After injection of several antigens, synthesis of specific antibodies is, in all studied cases, accompanied by synthesis of immunoglobulins unable to react with the antigen. The ratio between non-reactive immunoglobulins and specific antibodies decreases during successive immunizations.

The immune response to two different antigens (TMV and BSA) is very similar: antibody levels in the serum and numbers of antibody secreting cells in the spleen of immunized animals are nearly identical. When these two antigens are simultaneously injected in rabbits, each antigen seems to initiate independently proliferation of antibody secreting cells and of non-reactive immunoglobulin secreting cell populations.

The meaning of these results is discussed.