Abstract
Antibodies, passively acquired from the mother, were previously shown to limit the circulation of antigen given enterically to newborn rabbits. In the present experiments, we tested the effect of passive immunization and enteric antigen challenge on uptake of bystander protein. Female rabbits were immunized with bovine gamma globulin (BGG). Litters from these animals were tested prior to suckling by the intragastric administration of bovine serum albumin (BSA) plus BGG (test) or ovalbumin (OVA) (control animals). Three hrs. later, serum from both groups was tested for immunoreactive BSA by radioimmunoassay. Test animals had significantly less serum iBSA than controls. In other experiments the same protocol was followed except for the addition of 14C-polyethylene glycol (14C-PEG). Three hrs. after challenge, the concentration of radioactivity in various segments of intestine was determined. There was less 14C-PEG in the small intestine of test compared to control animals. These findings suggest enteric antigen-antibody interaction in intact animals may limit contact of protein with the absorptive surface on the enterocyte and thus diminish uptake of bystander protein in the neonate.
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Harmatz, P., Kleinman, R., Bunnell, B. et al. EFFECT OF MATERNAL ANTIBODIES AND ENTERIC CHALLENGE WITH ANTIGEN ON THE UPTAKE OF BYSTANDER PROTEIN IN NEONATAL RABBITS. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 198 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00630
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00630