Abstract
We have previously presented evidence that somatically acquired immunological tolerance to foreign histocompatibility antigens induced in male inbred mice can be transmitted at a high frequency to first- and second-generation offspring without exposure of the progeny to the tolerizing antigenic stimulus1. These data have in turn been interpreted to support a hypothesis predicting soma to germ-line inheritance for acquired states of the immune system2. Formal proof of this genetic scheme at the molecular level is not yet available. However, an even stronger reason for abandoning the notion of the isolation of the germ line from the soma (Weismann's doctrine2) would be provided by a clear demonstration of the multiple inheritance of independently acquired somatic characters. Here we present evidence that individual male mice (B10) made tolerant to two different H–2 haplotypes (B10.BR, B10.D2) can transmit the tolerance state to each haplotype independently, yet often simultaneously, at a high frequency to both first and second generation progeny.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Gorczynski, R. M. & Steele, E. J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 2871–2875 (1980).
Steele, E. J. Somatic Selection and Adaptive Evolution (Williams & Wallace, Toronto; Groom Helm, London, 1979).
Billingham, R. E., Brent, L. & Medawar, P. B. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B239, 357 (1956).
Gorczynski, R. M., MacRae, S. & Till, J. E. Scand. J. Immun. 7, 453–465 (1978).
Gorczynski, R. M. & MacRae, S. J. Immun. 122, 737–746 (1979).
Gorczynski, R. M. Immunology 33, 697–712 (1977).
Gorczynski, R. M., Khomasurya, B., Short, L. & MacRae, S. in Regulation by T Cells 18 (University of British Columbia Press, 1979).
Guttman, R. D. & Aust, J. B. Nature 197, 1220–1221 (1963).
Kanazawa, R. D. & Imai, A. Jap. J. exp. Med. 44, 227–234 (1974).
Burnet, F. M. The Clonal Selection Theory of Acquired Immunity (Cambridge University Press, London, 1959).
Cohn, M. Progress in Immunology II Vol. 1 (eds Brent, I. L. & Holborow, J.) 261–284 (North Holland, Amsterdam, 1974).
Jerne, N. K. Eur. J. Immun. 1, 1–9 (1971).
Cunningham, A. J. Contemp. Topics molec. Immun. 3, 1–26 (1974).
Temin, H. M. J. natn. Cancer Inst. 46, 3–8 (1971).
Temin, H. M. Science 192, 1075–1080 (1976).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gorczynski, R., Steele, E. Simultaneous yet independent inheritance of somatically acquired tolerance to two distinct H–2 antigenic haplotype determinants in mice. Nature 289, 678–681 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/289678a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/289678a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.