Some investigations on the adjuvant mechanism of DEAE dextran.

In vitro it was shown that adsorption of inactivated FMDV onto DEAE-D kieselgur columns did not occur in the presence of 0.1--0.15M NaCl. These NaCl concentrations are present in DEAE-D/FMDV vaccines and in the tissues of animals. Therefore, adsorption of virus antigen does not appear to be responsible for the adjuvant effect of DEAE-D. In pigs it was demonstrated that DEAE-D exerts its optimal adjuvant effect, as measured by the formation of neutralizing antibodies and protection against challenge infection, when injected together with inactivated FMDV as vaccine. Apart from this, a good adjuvant effect (group immunity 75--100 per cent) was evoked in about one half and a moderate effect (group immunity 50--70 per cent) in about a quarter of the inoculated animals even if DEAE-D was separately injected locally and temporally from the inactivated virus. With regard to immunity it apparently does not matter whether DEAE-D or inactivated virus was given first, but an interval of 48 hours or 4 days between injection seemed to be more favourable than one of 24 hours. With regard to the formation of neutralizing antibodies the situation is comparable to that of immunity with the exception that a time interval of 24 hours between the application of DEAE-D and inactivated virus or vice versa was as good as that of 48 hours or 4 days. The results are discussed in regard to the possible mechanism of the adjuvant effect of DEAE-D on the cellular level.