ANTIBODY SPECIFICITIES GENERATED DURING ANTIGEN-INDUCED POLYCLONAL HYPERIMMUNOGLOBULINEMIA

Much of the immunoglobulin produced during an immune response does not react with the eliciting antigen(s). The studies reported here were carried out to determine the antibody specificity of this immunoglobulin. Mice injected with antigen A displayed an increase in serum antibody to a previously experienced antigen (B). In addition, the spleens from such mice contained more antibody-forming cells directed against antigen B than did saline-injected controls. Thus, at least some of the immunoglobulin produced during the polyclonal hyperimmunoglobulinemia (PHIg) response is directed at antigens already experienced by the animal. In other studies, mouse serum reacted with autologous red cells treated with the proteolytic enzyme bromelain; the titer of this activity increased following immunization with several antigens and paralleled the PHIg response elicited by the same antigen. These results indicate that the antigen-induced PHIg contains antibody activity to autoantibodies. © 1978.