The preferential effects of chloroquine on the IgM and IgG subclass responses to TI and TD antigens in BALB/cAn mice

Abstract

Abstract This study has determined the effects of chloroquine on the IgM and the IgG subclass responses of BALB/cAn mice to both thymus-independent (TI) and thymus-dependent (TD) antigens, and has found that in antigen-unprimed BALB/cAn mice chloroquine adversely affects antibody responses to both TI and TD antigens. However, in antigen-primed mice the immune responses to TD antigens were unaffected by chloroquine. The IgG1 subclass response, but not necessarily other IgG subclass or IgM responses to TI and TD antigens, was adversely affected by chloroquine in unprimed mice only. Thus, in unprimed, but not in antigen-primed, BALB/cAn mice, chloroquine preferentially decreased the IgG1 subclass responses to both TI and TD antigens.