[Effect of alpha-mercaptopropionylglycine (alpha-MPG) and sodium dipropylacetate (DPA) on antibody formation (I) (author's transl)].

The humoral immuno-response: A study was carried out to determine the effect of alpha-MPG and DPA on humoral antibody formation. The following results were obtained: The 1st and 2nd immuno-responses in rabbits to bacterial alpha-amylase were potentiated by treatment with both alpha-MPG and DPA given i.p. for 10 days after the 1st immunization, but the treatment after the 2nd immunization did not affect the 2nd immuno-response. Formation of hemolytic plaque forming cells (HPFC) in the spleen of mice immunized with 5 X 10(8) sheep red blood cells (SRBC) was potentiated by the administration of the both drugs given i.p. for 5 days before or after the immunization. No appreciable formation of HPFC was observed by immunization with 5 X 10(6) SRBC, and here alpha-MPG or DPA were without effects. Immunization with more than 5 X 10(7) SRBC resulted in an increase of HPFC in a dose-dependent fashion. Such an increase was further reinforced by treatment with both drugs. HPFC increased with a single dose of alpha-MPG at 48 hr before or 24 approximately 72 hr after the immunization and also increased with that of DPA at 24 hr before or immediately after the SRBC treatment.