RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ANTIBODIES AND EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS .I. PRODUCTION OF HEMAGGLUTINATING AND GEL-PRECIPITATING ANTIBODIES IN RABBITS AND GUINEA PIGS

Hemagglulinaling and gel-precipitating antibodies to encephalitogenic basic proteins (BP) can be produced in rabbits and guinea pigs by hyperimmunization with repeated injections of large amounts of BP in Freund’s complete and incomplete adjuvants. In general, the hemagglutination titers parallel the degree of precipitation in gel on immunodiffusion or immunoelectrophoresis. hut some exceptions are noted. The antibody response is of relatively short duration, but repeated series of injections are effective in evoking another response. Early in immunization antibodies are sensitive to 2-mercaptoethanol. but those appearing later are resistant. Although gel-precipitating antibodies are stable while frozen, they are relatively unstable on storage at temperatures above 0°C. © 1969 S. Karger AG, Basel.