Immunological Tolerance to Microbial Antigens I. Absence of Specific Antibody-Containing Cells in Lymphoid Tissue of Mice Injected at Birth with Shigella Soluble Antigen

Abstract

Friedman, Herman (Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pa.). Immunological tolerance to microbial antigens. I. Absence of specific antibody-containing cells in lymphoid tissue of mice injected at birth with Shigella soluble antigen. J. Bacteriol. 92: 390–397. 1966.—Injection of a relatively large concentration of Shigella soluble antigen (SSA) into newborn mice results in specific immunological tolerance (paralysis) characterized by inability of the animals to form normal levels of anti- Shigella agglutinins upon subsequent challenge immunization with Shigella . Spleen and lymph nodes from Shigella -tolerant mice, as well as from normal and control immunized mice, were examined by the indirect immunofluorescence technique for evidence of cells containing anti- Shigella antibody. It was found that mice sacrificed at periodic intervals after neonatal administration of the tolerance-inducing inoculum of antigen and prior to and following challenge injection with a potential immunizing dose of SSA had only occasional specific fluorescing cells in spleens and lymph nodes. Tolerant mice also failed to develop significant levels of specific serum agglutinins after SSA challenge injection. In contrast, normal adult mice had a rapid appearance of numerous specific fluorescing cells in their spleens and lymph nodes, as well as a marked agglutinin response, after SSA immunization. Shigella -tolerant and normal control mice responded equally well with anti- Salmonella agglutinin formation and specific antibody-containing lymphoid cells after immunization with Salmonella antigen.