| Abstract: | Random bred rabbits were injected with human serum albumin (HA) at birth to induce tolerance to HA. Tolerant animals were then immunized with a p-azobenzenesulfonic acid derivative of human albumin (HA-D31). A proportion of these animals, 42 %, (27/64) responded with the production of antibody to HA-D31 (TCR-responders). Matings were carried out between TCR-responders and between TCR-nonresponders, and the offspring were subjected to the same procedures as their parents. Selective breeding of TCR-responders produced 70 % (12/17) responders after two generations. Selective breeding of TCR-nonresponders produced only TCR-nonresponders after the third generation. Fourth generation offspring of TCR-nonresponders, which were not injected with HA at birth, produced an antibody response to HA-D31. The specificity of this antibody was analyzed by agglutination-inhibition tests and was found to be similar to that of antibody produced in unselected rabbits. The genetic control of responsiveness to HA-D31 in HA-tolerant rabbits is polygenic and autosomal. |
