A question of memory

Varied redox forms of teleost IgM: an alternative to isotypic diversity?

Teleosts (bony fish) are thought to primarily or exclusively possess a single structural form of immunoglobulin (Ig), a tetrameric IgM. However, in species wherein intact Ig has been electrophoretically analyzed under denaturing, non-reducing conditions, a significant degree of structural diversity has been revealed. This IgM molecule appears to be assembled with great latitude in the degree of disulfide crosslinking between monomeric or halfmer subunits composing the complete IgM molecule. This heterogeneity in the basic structure (herein referred to as redox forms) is not due to isotypic differences as each B cell produces this heterogeneity within its immunoglobulin product. Additionally, in the case of the catfish, a single fish/mouse chimeric Ig H gene is capable of producing IgM with a comparable amount of structural heterogeneity within the mouse cell. Thus, the piscine B lymphocyte routinely assembles a variety of redox forms from one IgM chain. This has both profound biosynthetic implications for macromolecular assembly processes as well as intriguing possibilities for the generation of teleost Ig functional diversity.

Proliferation of lymphocyte-like cells from the solitary tunicate, Styela clava, in response to allogeneic stimuli

Lymphocyte-like hemocytes (LLCs) of solitary tunicates proliferate in response to allogeneic stimuli. In vitro labeling of proliferative hemocytes from the solitary species Styela clava revealed significantly greater proliferative activity among individuals immunized with allogeneic tissue as opposed to autogeneically primed and naïve animals. Enhanced proliferation was restricted to discrete crypts of dividing cells within the body wall of recipients. Here, increased proliferative activity was specifically associated with LLCs. These data support previous results which implicated LLC activity with immunological memory that is evident in allograft rejection. Hence, it is postulated that adaptive histoincompatibility responses in solitary tunicates depend upon the specific proliferation of immunocompetent cells.

Immunity to Haemonchus contortus and the cellular response to helminth antigens in the mammary gland of non-lactating sheep

Cellular exudates induced by infusion with helminth antigens were examined in non-lactating mammary glands of ewes immune to infection with the abomasal nematode, Haemonchus contortus. Secondary immunological responsiveness was expressed in two ways. Firstly, antigens from adult H. contortus elicited larger eosinophil-rich cellular exudates in immune compared to non-immune ewes. In this situation, secondary responsiveness in the mammary gland must have been generated through abomasal infection with the parasite. Secondly, repeated infusion with the antigens from adult H. contortus increased the size of cellular exudates in both immune and non-immune ewes. Eosinophils predominated but numbers of macrophages and lymphocytes were also increased. In this second situation, secondary responsiveness must have been either supplemented in immune ewes or derived completely in non-immune ewes by contact with helminth antigens through the mammary gland. The helminth antigens which induce eosinophil exudates in the mammary gland may not be potently protective against H. contortus. Furthermore, eosinophil exudation may not be an in vivo correlate of immunity which is directly useful for discriminating protective antigens and applicable to vaccine development. Infusion with antigens from adult forms of either H. contortus or Trichostrongylus colubriformis elicited cellular exudates equally well in immune ewes primed by infusion with H. contortus adult antigens 7 days beforehand. In addition, antigens from infective larvae of H. contortus elicited cellular exudates more potently than antigens from adult worms. However, vaccination with irradiated larvae has shown that species-specific protective immunity for H. contortus is stronger than cross-protective immunity conferred by T. colubriformis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Humoral immunity in the ewe. 1. The influence of adjuvancy and immunogenic substitution on immune reactivity following immunisation with protein antigens

The nature of antigen and presence of adjuvant are major factors which influence the level of immune reactivity following immunisation. This study examines the quantity and isotype of antibody produced in ewes immunised with different proteins in combination with different adjuvants. Results using indirect ELISA assays show that animals immunised with keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) in adjuvant produced lower levels (P less than 0.05) of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and had increased levels and persistence of immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) compared with ewes immunised with antigen in saline (P less than 0.005). The anti-KLH immunoglobulin G2 (IgG2) titre was significantly higher in animals given oil-emulsion adjuvant than all other groups (P less than 0.005). Ewes were also immunised with bovine serum albumin (BSA) or BSA haptenated with trinitrophenyl (TNP) for the primary injection and carrier BSA alone for the secondary inoculation. Chemical haptenation of BSA antigen reduced primary IgM (P less than 0.005), IgG1 (P less than 0.005) and IgG2 (P less than 0.005) levels compared with animals immunised with pure BSA. There was an increased secondary anti-BSA IgM response in all animals first immunised with TNP-BSA (P less than 0.05). The class of anti-hapten antibody produced to TNP determinants was influenced by the degree of TNP haptenation of the carrier BSA. Mid-range molar ratios of TNP produced the strongest IgM, IgG1 and IgG2 anti-TNP responses compared with all other groups (P less than 0.01).

Altered humoral immunity during pregnancy in the guinea pig

A guinea pig model was developed to determine whether humoral immune responsiveness is altered during pregnancy. Pregnant animals were immunised at mid-gestation with haptenated protein. The humoral response to antigen was measured as numbers of antibody-producing cells in the spleen, the affinity of the antibody produced by spleen cells and the levels of IgG in the serum. The values obtained were compared with those from an age matched non-pregnant control group. Early in the primary response, there was a significant decrease in the number of IgM antibody-producing cells with an associated decrease in serum IgM levels in pregnant animals. Late in the primary response, pregnant and control animals had similar levels of IgM antibody-producing cells. During the later stages of the response, many of the pregnant animals did not respond with IgG antibody-producing cells or IgG in the serum. When IgG-producing cells were detected, the antibody was of lower affinity than that observed with the control group. A selective lack of responsiveness was detected in the primary response of pregnant guinea pigs. The reduced number of IgG antibody-producing cells in gravid animals suggests that an immune switch from IgM to IgG is impaired in pregnancy. The low affinity of antibody produced indicates the immunoglobulin produced in pregnancy may also be functionally limited.