Inhibition, no-effect or enhancement of immune responses following injection of mixtures of immunogenic and non-immunogenic synthetic polypeptides

Abstract

The phenomenon of antigenic competition has been investigated by the use of synthetic compounds and guinea-pigs of inbred strain 2 as experimental animals. The effect of addition to the immunizing mixture of immunogenic and non-immunogenic synthetic compounds has been studied.

Antigenic competition has been demonstrated between the synthetic antigen 252,p(Tyr,Glu,Lys) and DNP-p(Lys) or 28,pdlAla-p(Tyr,Glu)--pLys.

The non-immunogenic compounds 251,p(dTyr,dGlu,dLys), 33,pTyr-pdlAla--pLys, and p(Tyr) have been found respectively to inhibit, enhance, or not affect the immune response to 252,p(Tyr,Glu,Lys). Two weak antigens, namely 509,p(Tyr,Glu,)-pdlAla--pLys and p(Lys) also enhanced the response to 252,p(Tyr,Glu,Lys). Possible explanations for these findings are discussed.