Adjuvant effect of cationic surface-active lipid, dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide, on the induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity to sheep red blood cells in mice

Abstract

The authors investigated the adjuvant effect of a cationic surface active lipid, dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DDA), on the inducation of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in mice. Markedly enhanced DTH to SRBC was induced by subcutaneous injection of 2X10(8) SRBC suspended in saline containing DDA as compared to DTH responses in control animals sensitized with the same doses of SRBC without DDA. The enhancement of DTH responses seemed to be closely related to the delayed appearance of circulating antibody to SRBC and not to depend on the strain or the age of mice.