Studies on the induction of immunological paralysis to bovine gamma-globulin in adult mice. I. The competition between immunogen and paralytogen.

Bovine γ-globulin induced immunological paralysis in adult mice when given in the deaggregated soluble form (sBGG). On the other hand, it elicited antibody production when given in the aggregated form (aBGG). These two forms of BGG were found to interfere with each other; in particular, the paralytogenic action of sBGG was disturbed by the simultaneous injection of aBGG. However, the injection of aBGG at least 1 day after sBGG could not reverse completely the paralytic state established by that time. X-irradiation was found to be effective in facilitating paralysis induction by the mixture of sBGG and aBGG which otherwise elicited immune response in unirradiated mice. The injection of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) prior to the injection of sBGG-aBGG mixture was also found to support the paralytogenic action of sBGG. Bacterial endotoxin (ET) prevented the paralysis induction by sBGG; rather it converted paralytogenic sBGG into immunogenic form. This effect of ET was augmented as the dose of sBGG increased. The effect of ET was not affected significantly by X-irradiation or SRBC administration.