IMMUNOLOGICAL ADJUVANTS .3. A PRELIMINARY REPORT ABOUT MODE OF ACTION OF MYCOBACTERIAL ADJUVANTS AND FURTHER CONFIRMATION OF ADJUVANT ACTIVITY OF ACETYLATED WAX D

Sheep red blood cells (sRBC) were injected into mice with or without mycobacterial adjuvant, wax D, in the form of an aqueous suspension, and the number and size of plaques measured by Jerne’s localized hemolysis technique were compared. Significant increases in the number and size of the plaques were observed in the group injected with sRBC plus the adjuvant as compared with control groups which received sRBC alone. This suggests that the mycobacterial adjuvant exerts its adjuvant effect through increasing the number of antibody-forming cells as well as enhancing the antibody-producing capacity of each cell. That acetylation of wax D does not abolish its adjuvant activity was again confirmed by the present technique. © 1969 S. Karger AG, Basel.