MURINE AUTO-IMMUNE HEMOLYTIC-ANEMIA INDUCED VIA XENOGENEIC ERYTHROCYTE IMMUNIZATION .1. QUALITATIVE CHARACTERISTICS AND STRAIN VARIATION, SUSCEPTABILITY TO INDUCTION

Mice immunized with xenogeneic rat erythrocytes develop erythrocyte autoantibodies. To determine the influence of strain on this response, outbred and several inbred strains of mice and their hybrids were immunized with rat erythrocytes (Rrbc). The immunological and hematological responses to Rrbc immunization were contrasted relative to strain variation. Concerning autoantibody induction, NZB, NZB W F1, and C3H strains were high responders; C3B6 F1, BALB c, and N:NIH(S) mice were medium responders; C57BL 6 and NZW mice were low responders; and CBA N and N:NIH(S) nu nu mice were nonresponders. While a correlation existed between susceptibility to autoantibodies to erythrocytes and degree of anti-Rrbc hemagglutination response, it was not absolute. Hybrid data suggest that susceptability to induction of erythrocyte autoantibodies is inherited as a dominant, quantitative trait; H-2 linkage is not indicated. A strain variation was also observed in hematological response and the class and subclass specificities of the erythrocyte-bound autoantibody. Immunization with non-rat xenogeneic erythrocytes or allogeneic erythrocytes proved ineffective in inducing the autoantibody response. Rrbc membrane was as effective an antigen as intact Rrbc. Bromelase-treated Rrbc proved slightly less effective. Finally, anamnestic response to autoantibody induction was observed in 50% of the animals studied. © 1979.