Skip to main content
PMC home page
Immunology logoLink to Immunology
. 1979 Sep;38(1):33–39.

The neonatally thymectomized rat: a model for compensatory IgM antibody formation in exocrine secretions.

J L Ebersole, M A Taubman, D J Smith
PMCID: PMC1457885  PMID: 116959

Abstract

The effect of T-cell deprivation on IgM antibodies in saliva was studied in rats. IgM was never detected in salivas obtained from normal or sham-thymectomized rats, but was detected in saliva samples from 8/15 (53.3%) rats that had undergone neonatal thymectomy. All (6/6) neonatally thymectomized rats exhibited an IgM antibody response to DNP in salivary secretions after local immunization with a T-dependent antigen (DNPBGG), while no IgA anti-DNP activity was detected in saliva from these antimals. IgM antibodies were detected in saliva from 5/7 thymectomized rats following local injection with a T-independent antigen (DNP-Lys-Gicoll). This was accompanied by detectable but substantially reduced levels of secretory IgA antibody in saliva from 7/7 rats. The results suggested that absent or decreased salivary IgA responses accompanying T-cell deprivation in the rats are compensated for by secretion of IgM antibodies into the saliva. The neonatally thymectomized rat may thus provide a model for the study of synthesis, secretion and protective potential of exocrine IgM antibodies.

Full text

PDF
38

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Arnold R. R., Cole M. F., Prince S., McGhee J. R. Secretory IgM antibodies to Streptococcus mutans in subjects with selective IgA deficiency. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1977 Nov;8(3):475–486. doi: 10.1016/0090-1229(77)90011-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brandtzaeg P., Fjellanger I., Gjeruldsen S. T. Immunoglobulin M: local synthesis and selective secretion in patients with immunoglobulin A deficiency. Science. 1968 May 17;160(3829):789–791. doi: 10.1126/science.160.3829.789. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Brandtzaeg P. Human secretory immunoglobulins. II. Salivary secretions from individuals with selectively excessive or defective synthesis of serum immunoglobulins. Clin Exp Immunol. 1971 Jan;8(1):69–85. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brandtzaeg P., Tolo K. Mucosal penetrability enhanced by serum-derived antibodies. Nature. 1977 Mar 17;266(5599):262–263. doi: 10.1038/266262a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cole M. F., Arnold R. R., Rhodes M. J., McGhee J. R. Immune dysfunction and dental caries: a preliminary report. J Dent Res. 1977 Mar;56(3):198–204. doi: 10.1177/00220345770560030201. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cypess R. H., Ebersole J. L., Molinari J. A. Specific antibody levels in the intestinal perfusates of Heligosomoides polygyrus-infected mice. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1977;55(1-6):496–503. doi: 10.1159/000231963. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ebersole J. L., Taubman M. A., Smith D. J., Crawford J. M. Characterization of immunoglobulin-containing cells in the submandibular gland of the rat after local immunization. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1978;107:155–164. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4684-3369-2_19. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Ebersole J. L., Taubman M. A., Smith D. J. The effect of neonatal thymectomy on the level of salivary and serum immunoglobulins in rats. Immunology. 1979 Apr;36(4):649–657. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Eisen H. N., Michaelides M. C., Underdown B. J., Schulenburg E. P., Simms E. S. Experimental approaches to homogenous antibody populations. Myeloma proteins with antihapten antibody activity. Fed Proc. 1970 Jan-Feb;29(1):78–84. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Mancini G., Carbonara A. O., Heremans J. F. Immunochemical quantitation of antigens by single radial immunodiffusion. Immunochemistry. 1965 Sep;2(3):235–254. doi: 10.1016/0019-2791(65)90004-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. McMaster P. R., Owens J. D., Vannier W. E. The preparation and characterization of a thymic independent antigen: episilon-dinitrophenyl-L-lysine-Ficoll. Immunochemistry. 1977 Mar;14(3):189–196. doi: 10.1016/0019-2791(77)90193-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Michalek S. M., McGhee J. R., Mestecky J., Arnold R. R., Bozzo L. Ingestion of Streptococcus mutans induces secretory immunoglobulin A and caries immunity. Science. 1976 Jun 18;192(4245):1238–1240. doi: 10.1126/science.1273589. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Miller J. F., Osoba D. Current concepts of the immunological function of the thymus. Physiol Rev. 1967 Jul;47(3):437–520. doi: 10.1152/physrev.1967.47.3.437. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Ogra P. L., Coppola P. R., MacGillivray M. H., Dzierba J. L. Mechanism of mucosal immunity to viral infections in gammaA immunoglobulin-deficiency syndromes. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1974 Mar;145(3):811–816. doi: 10.3181/00379727-145-37900. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. ROCKEY J. H., HANSON L. A., HEREMANS J. F., KUNKEL H. G. BETA-2A AGLOBULINEMIA IN TWO HEALTHY MEN. J Lab Clin Med. 1964 Feb;63:205–212. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Savilahti E. IgA deficiency in children. Immunoglobulin-containing cells in the intestinal mucosa, immunoglobulins in secretions and serum IgA levels. Clin Exp Immunol. 1973 Mar;13(3):395–406. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Sharon R., McMaster P. R., Kask A. M., Owens J. D., Paul W. E. DNP-Lys-ficoll: a T-independent antigen which elicits both IgM and IgG anti-DNP antibody-secreting cells. J Immunol. 1975 May;114(5):1585–1589. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Talbman M. A., Smith D. J. Effects of local immunization with Streptococcus mutans on induction of salivary immunoglobulin A antibody and experimental dental caries in rats. Infect Immun. 1974 Jun;9(6):1079–1091. doi: 10.1128/iai.9.6.1079-1091.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Taubman M. A., Smith D. J. Effects of local immunization with glucosyltransferase fractions from Streptococcus mutans on dental caries in rats and hamsters. J Immunol. 1977 Feb;118(2):710–720. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Tomasi T. B., Jr, Bienenstock J. Secretory immunoglobulins. Adv Immunol. 1968;9:1–96. doi: 10.1016/s0065-2776(08)60441-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Tourville D. R., Adler R. H., Bienenstock J., Tomasi T. B., Jr The human secretory immunoglobulin system: immunohistoligical localization of gamma A, secretory "piece," and lactoferrin in normal human tissues. J Exp Med. 1969 Feb 1;129(2):411–429. doi: 10.1084/jem.129.2.411. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Udenfriend S., Stein S., Böhlen P., Dairman W., Leimgruber W., Weigele M. Fluorescamine: a reagent for assay of amino acids, peptides, proteins, and primary amines in the picomole range. Science. 1972 Nov 24;178(4063):871–872. doi: 10.1126/science.178.4063.871. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Waldman R. H., Ganguly R. Immunity to infections on secretory surfaces. J Infect Dis. 1974 Oct;130(4):419–440. doi: 10.1093/infdis/130.4.419. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES