Gerrie A. Leslie

Lymphocyte Surface IgD and IgM in Non-Human Primates

IgD was detected on the surface of peripheral blood lymphocytes of five non-human primate species by direct immunofluorescence. The percentages of lymphocytes with surface IgD or IgM were comparable to the percentages reported for humans. The presence of IgD on the surface of rhesus monkey lymphocytes was confirmed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitated 125I cell surface protein. Reduced surface IgD was resolved into a light chain component and a heavy chain component whose mobility was identical to that of mu-chain under the condition used.

Structure and Biological Functions of Human IgD

The relative frequency of peripheral blood T and B cells and their biological function(s) from a group of patients with pityriasis rosea (PR) was investigated during the acute and convalescent phases

Secretory Immunological System of Fowl

The concentrations of IgA, IgM and IgY were measured in gallbladder (GB) bile and serum from chickens of various ages. The ontogeny data suggested that IgA and IgY were synthesized by the GB. Furtherm

Affinity-immunoadsorbent fractionation of rat anti-streptococcal A carbohydrate antibodies of restricted heterogeneity.

Antisera obtained from selectively bred Sprague-Dawley rats after a primary series of immunization with group A streptococcal vaccine exhibit specific anti-carbohydrate antibodies of restricted heterogeneity. Separation of anti-carbohydrate antibodies was achieved on the basis of differences in the relative binding affinities of the antibodies for an insoluble, hapten (N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) immunoadsorbent. Evaluation of several eluting reagents including hapten, thiocyanate, urea and acid-salt demonstrated the chaotropic ion thiocyanate to be most effective in separating anti-hapten populations of individual affinity characteristics. In general, there was no consistent relationship between the net electrical charge of an antibody and its relative binding affinity for the immunoadsorbent. Furthermore, non-precipitating rat anti-streptococcal A carbohydrate antibodies were characterized as antibodies of relatively low binding affinity for the hapten immunoadsorbent. From a practical point of view, thiocyanate is recommended for the routine elution of anti-carbohydrate antibodies from innumoadsorbents.

Structure and Function of Serum and Membrane Immunoglobulin D (IgD)

IgD was discovered as a unique myeloma protein some 13 years ago (Rowe and Fahey, 1965a) and was demonstrated to be a component in most normal human sera (Rowe and Fahey, 1965b). Certain structural aspects of the molecule have been known for several years; studies have been published on the alterations in serum IgD concentrations in many patient populations. However, owing to the difficulty in demonstrating antibody activity within this class of immunoglobulin, the lack of biological function and the apparent nonavailability of laboratory models for study (Spiegelberg, 1972) few investigators paid attention to IgD.

Genetic influences on the immune response of rats to streptococcal A carbohydrate

Selective breeding of Sprague-Dawley rats immunized with group A streptococcal vaccine (GASV) revealed genetic influences on the magnitude of the precipitin response to streptococcal group A carbohydrate (SACHO). After four brother-sister inbreedings, a family of low-precipitin responders (LPR) was segregated from a family of high-precipitin responders (HPR). Precipitin analysis of all four generations of rats bred for low-precipitin responses revealed an earlier influence of inbreeding on the secondary as compared to the primary precipitin response. Prolonged immunization and/or variation in the dose of antigen failed to enhance the magnitude of the precipitin response of LPR. Examination of anti-SACHO antisera for cross-specificity revealed A-variant carbohydrate precipitins in only 1%. This system may offer an opportunity to examine the clinical relevance of anti-SACHO antibodies to rheumatic heart disease.

Interspecies and interantigenic evaluation of a crossreactive rat idiotype

An interstrain crossreactive idiotype (ID 1), present on rat antibodies to streptococcal group A carbohydrate (SACHO), was examined for both antigen and species specificity. In a test employing a sensitive radioimmunoassay, ID 1 was undetectable in both preimmunization sera and on rat antibodies to poly-glutamic acid50-alanine50 obtained from animals which subsequently expressed ID 1 on anti-SACHO antibodies. Antigenically distinct from lambda light (L)-chain isotypic determinants, ID 1 was found to require antibody heavy-chain and L-chain interaction for complete expression. The inability to detect ID 1 on anti-SACHO antibodies produced by goats, rabbits, chickens, and nurse sharks suggests the species specificity of ID 1. These and previous observations on idiotypy favor the theory that germline genes are important in coding for rat antibody diversity to SACHO.

Inheritance patterns of idiotype expression: maternal-fetal immune regulatory networks

The production of Id-1, a cross-reactive idiotype associated with rat anti-group A streptococcal carbohydrate antibodies, by 11 strains of rats indicates that genes coding for Id-1 are in the germline. Its expression, however, follows a complex inheritance pattern. It was our intent in these studies to determine if immune responsiveness of streptococcus (GASV) immunized females could alter Id-1 expression of GASV-immunized progeny, and, in turn, introduce complications in Id-1 inheritance patterns.-We observed that Id-1-specific immune reactivity of GASV-immunized females could induce significant alterations in Id-1 production by progeny. The relationship between maternal and progeny Id-1 was complex, reflecting the complexity of autologous regulation of Id-1 production, and could be the opposite of what one would predict based upon parental transfer of Id-1 regulatory genes. The nongenetic nature of the maternal regulatory influence was confirmed by foster-mother studies.— We conclude that antigen-induced maternal immune responsiveness can exert a permanent regulatory influence on idiotype expression by progeny and consequently introduce error into the interpretations of idiotype inheritance patterns. The recognition of this maternal regulatory influence also lends further support to Jernes hypothesis that idiotype-specific immune networks play a significant role in the regulation of immune responsiveness in vivo.

Rat interstrain antibody response and crossidiotypic specificity

Interstrain analysis of the humoral response of rats to streptococcal group A carbohydrate (SACHO) 1, employing seven inbred strains representing six histocompatibility haplotypes at the Ag-B locus, suggests that the immune response genes to SACHO are not linked to the major rat histocompatibility locus. The low-precipitin response of all seven inbred rat strains was similar to the precipitin response of F7 Sprague-Dawley rats selectively bred for a low-precipitin response to SACHO. Although strain differences were not apparent in the magnitude of the precipitin response to SACHO, the qualitative expression of anti-SACHO antibodies with restricted heterogeneity was more frequently observed in the August strain of rats than in the six other inbred strains examined. Cross-idiotypic specificity was demonstrated for anti-SACHO antisera obtained from nine inbred rat strains. The observations on idiotypy favor the importance of germ-line genes coding for rat antibody variable region determinants in response to SACHO.

Immunoglobulin Class Distribution of Measles Virus Antibodies in Serum and Spinal Fluids of Patients with Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis

Sera and cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) from patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) were tested by indirect immunofluorescence for the presence of measles virus specific antibodies of the various heavy chain classes. IgG and IgA antibodies were detected in the CSF while IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD and IgE measles virus antibodies were found in a significant number of the patient sera. Sera from SSPE patients had slightly elevated levels of IgG, IgM, IgD and IgE while IgA was decreased. The heterogeneous heavy chain class distribution of measles antibodies suggests the possibility that non-complement fixing antibodies serve as blocking antibodies which aid in the persistence of intracellular measles virus infection in patients with SSPE.