Restricted heterogeneity of the early antibody response to Aleutian disease virus in mink kits.

Mink kits born of Aleutian disease (AD) negative dams were infected neonatally with different isolates of Aleutian disease virus (ADV). They were then sacrificed at different days after infection (10-45 days) and their sera were analysed by different techniques for concentrations of immunoglobulins and quality of the produced antibodies to ADV. The infected mink kits produced significantly higher concentrations of IgM and IgG immunoglobulins than non-infected-age matched control mink (p less than 0.001). Eight percent of the sera from the infected mink kits exhibited a restricted heterogeneous gammaglobulin profile as shown by serum electrophoresis. These findings were further investigated by other techniques such as SDS-PAGE and crossed serum line immunoelectrophoresis. It is concluded that mink kits when infected neonatally with ADV start to develop hypergammaglobulinemia soon after infection, and that a small percentage of the mink react with a gammaglobulin response of restricted heterogeneity.