Abstract
Summary
Rabbits repeatedly injected intravenously with poly I:C developed antibodies reactive with poly I:C. However, oral or nasal administration of poly I:C to rabbits failed to stimulate detectable circulating antibodies. Intravenous injection of ICR mice, guinea pigs, and grivet monkeys also failed to stimulate a detectable circulating antibody. Combination of poly I:C with methylated bovine serum albumin enhanced the antigenicity of poly I:C in rabbits. Antibodies produced in response to poly I:C were primarily the IgM type, whereas those produced in response to poly I:C plus methylated bovine serum albumin were mainly the IgG type. Hyperimmunization with poly I:C resulted in shift to predominance of IgG antibodies.
Rabbits with high antibody titers to poly I:C showed reduced serum interferon production in response to induction with poly I:C. However, blood leukocyte alterations and febrile responses to poly I:C in immunized and normal rabbits were essentially similar. Both the IgM and IgG antibodies to poly I:C were capable of neutralizing the capacity of poly I:C to induce interferon in unimmunized rabbits.
Antisera reactive with poly I:C were similarly reactive with other double-stranded RNA's, were variably reactive with poly I, but were unreactive with other single-stranded RNA's or DNA.
The authors are grateful to Dr. E. Piperno for advice concerning experiments on febrile responses. Skillful technical assistance was provided by W. P. M. Fisher, M. Johnston, M. E. Davies and H. Perry.
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