Transfer of RNA Extracts from Immune Donor Spleen Cells to Shigella-tolerant Recipient Mice

Abstract

INJECTION of relatively large quantities of non-living antigens into either neonatal or adult animals often results in the establishment of immunological tolerance characterized by specific suppression of antibody formation on subsequent challenge immunization¹. Immune tolerance to bacteria has been demonstrated most often in mice injected with polysaccharide antigen derived from pneumococci^2,3. Somewhat similar states of immunological tolerance to antigens derived from other micro-organisms have also been investigated. For example, tolerance to Shigella paradysenteriae antigens has been observed in mice after a single administration of a relatively large concentration of soluble Shigella antigen within 12–24 h after birth⁴. The resulting tolerance persisted for at least 8–12 weeks, depending on the dose and route of antigen administered at birth. Tolerance to Shigella has been terminated in unresponsive mice by transfer of spleen cell suspensions from normal or Shigella immune donors⁵. Administration of hyperimmune anti-Shigella serum to tolerant mice, however, has not restored agglutinin forming ability⁶.