Recovery from allotype suppression in rabbits and release from this suppression in specific immune response

Abstract

The recovery of allotypic expression in allotype suppressed rabbits was followed up in specific antibodies and in bulk immunoglobulins. The primary antigenic stimulation with BSA and/or MS2 phage was given at 4 weeks of age. In the early recovery group, where the recovery from suppression began at 11-13 weeks of age, specific antibodies bearing the suppressed allotype were found to be synthesized by the primary stimulation or with successive allotype was scarely expressed in specific antibodies despite its recovered expression in bulk immunoglobulins. The X-ray irradiation followed by the immunization procedures promoted the recovery of the suppressed allotype expression in anti-BSA antibody and in bulk immunoglobulins but not in anti-MS2 phage antibody. The results are discussed in terms of regulatory mecahnisms of immune response in allotype suppressed animals.