Abstract
Summary
In guinea pigs the effect of mycobacteria in adjuvant on production of precipitating antibody to a constant amount of antigen depends upon the immunization scheme employed. With multiple large injections of adjuvant, mycobacteria had no effect on antibody formation; with a single large injection, mycobacteria had a slight enhancing effect; and, with a single small injection, mycobacteria had an extreme enhancing effect. Mycobacteria had no effect on persistence of antibody production. There was a persistence of antibody production independent of the level of the antibody, with all the immunization schemes employed. Adjuvants containing mycobacteria produced considerably more extensive granulomata at injection sites than adjuvants lacking mycobacteria. However, there was no relationship between size of the granuloma produced at the injection site and antibody production. In guinea pigs injected with a small dose-of adjuvant containing mycobacteria, there was both a greater persistence of antigen int he local adjuvant depot and in the whole body and a larger antibody production than when mycobacteria were omitted.
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