Macrophages, Nucleic Acids, and the Induction of Antibody Formation: A Review

An effort was made to immunize guinea pigs with arsanilic acid conjugates of copolymers of D- and L-α-amino acids; ASD-GAT and ASL-GAT. An immune response was observed only in the case of ASL-GAT. Antibodies specific for the arsanilic acid hapten were produced which could also react with ASD-GAT or ASGPA. These findings indicate that the proper metabolism of the antigen may be essential to the induction of the immune response.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Studies on Artificial Antigens

Benacerraf

Ojeda

Maurer

1963

“…Polymers of the a-amino acids glutamic acid, alanine and tyrosine of D optical configurations, either, free (17) or coupled to the haptene arsanilic acid, are not immunogenic in rabbits or guinea pigs (18) in contrast to similar polymers made of r.-amino acids. These observations support the idea that metabolism of the antigen is necessary to form the immunogenic fragment carrying the antigenic determinant (19)(20)(21)(22)(23). Studies underway on the action of rabbit and guinea pig "cathepsins" on these various polymers may contribute more to an understanding d the problem.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Antigenicity of Polypeptides (Poly Alpha Amino Acids)

Maurer

Gerulat

Pinchuck

1964

Previous reports from this laboratory have dealt with observations on the immunogenicity in rabbits (1-5), guinea pigs (6, 7), and man (8) of synthetic random copolymers consisting of 2 and 3 L-a-amino acids. In the rabbit studies, the copolymers consisting of the amino acids, glutamic acid and alanine, in a ratio of 60:40 (G60A40) t and the terpolymer consisting of the latter amino acids and lysine (G~L~sAs0) were very effective antigens and have repeatedly been so in our laboratory. This latter terpolymer has also been found to be highly antigenic in guinea pigs (7), man (8), and mice (9). The experiments presented in this report on the immunogenicity of a new group of polymers were undertaken to learn: (a) whether polymers consisting of other ratios of glutamic acid and alanine or glutamic acid and other amino acids are effective antigens; (b) the possible basis for the enhanced immunogenicity of G4~asA,0. When negative or poor responses were noted with the polymers in rabbits, the material was then tested in guinea pigs. This report will present the findings on the immunogenicity of the preparations and a subsequent publication will present the quantitative relationships among the various polymers and their antisera. Materials and MethodsMaterials.- Table I lists the random polymers studied. The methods employed in preparing the polymers from the N-carboxy a-amino acid anhydrides, their characterization and the techniques *

“…Supernatant factors described by other investigators appear in some instances to represent altered antigen (25,29). There is per- suasive evidence that antigen attached in or near the cell surface of macrophages may act as "superantigen" (30)(31)(32)(33) or that antigen linked to a special RNA provided by the macrophage may play this role (34)(35)(36)(37)(38).…”

mentioning

confidence: 93%

Potentiation of the T-Lymphocyte Response to Mitogens

Gery

Waksman

1972

721

162

Effective supernatants (SUP), which potentiate mouse T-cell responses to phytohemagglutin (PHA), are obtained from cells of several species (human, rabbit, rat, mouse) and indeed from syngeneic spleen, thymus, or bone marrow cells. Unstimulated cells release some SUP activity but more is produced after stimulation. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) produced very active SUP in all cultures tested. PHA was similarly active on human leukocytes only, whereas concanavalin A (Con A) gave highly efficient SUP only with mouse spleen cells. SUP production is not correlated with a mitotic response of the donor cells and is observed in cultures unable to respond mitotically to the stimulant. Adherent mouse spleen cell populations, consisting largely or entirely of macrophages, produce active SUP, while nonadherent cells do not. Similarly, purification of human peripheral leukocytes on nylon columns, with removal of macrophages and other adherent cells, destroys their ability to produce SUP. The importance of indirect effects in stimulating mitotic responses of T cells is emphasized by the fact that the mitotic response of mouse thymocytes to LPS and its ability to potentiate the response of these cells to PHA disappears with removal of adherent cells from the thymocyte population. Conversely the production of SUP from spleen cells stimulated by Con A requires the presence of T cells.