[Studies on antigenspecific immunosuppression: Influence of 6-mercaptopurine-BGG-conjugates on BGG binding cells (author's transl)].

The rosette forming cell (RFC) response of different lymphoid organs (spleen, lymph node, peripheral blood) of guinea pigs was examined by immunocytoadherence. The method has been adapted to work with the soluble antigen BGG. The number of antigen binding cells following immunization with BGG in CFA reached the highest level on day 6 in Ln. popliteus and on the 10th day in spleen and peripheral blood. It is shown that the highest level of antigen binding cells appears generally before the maximum of circulating antibodies. After i.p.-immunization to alum-adsorbed BGG we only detected a small number of RFCs. After pretreatment with 6-mercaptopurineI-25-BGG (MP-BGG) and a control substance (toluylI-25-BGG) over 8 days and in increasing doses we obtained an antigenspecific suppression of BGG binding cells following MP-BGG treatment. In contrast to these findings the antibody titres were only slightly decreased in the beginning of the immune response.