Abstract
Summary
The number of hemolysin-forming cells, assayed by Jerne's technique in spleens removed from AKR mice, 48 hours after immunization with heterologous red cells, is significantly higher when antigen is administered in conjunction with an enzymatic digest of calf thymus DNA. This stimulation by oligodeoxyribonucleotides is not matched by comparable effects of oligoribonucleotides; mixtures of monodeoxyribonucleotides or -sides are inactive. The stimulation appears to involve a stimulated multiplication of early appearing, or early activated, antibody-forming clones, and is more difficult to discern as the interval between immunization and assay of spleen cell populations increases. Oligodeoxyribonucleotides do not stimulate early immune responses unless specific antigen is administered concurrently; possible reasons for this requirement of antigen, in contrast to a lack of such requirement in comparable stimulations produced by bacterial endotoxins, are considered. The influence of dosage and route of administration of DNA digest have been analyzed and an effect on secondary as well as primary responses has been demonstrated. Kinetin riboside abolishes the stimulatory effects of oligodeoxyribonucleotides without influencing the basic, non-stimulated immune response, whereas Actinomycin D interferes with the immune response in the absence and presence of oligodeoxyribonucleotides. Possible relationships to problems of natural and adjuvant-elicited stimulations of antibody production have been discussed.
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