Induction of immunological tolerance to the penicilloyl antigenic determinant. I. Evaluation of penicilloylated amino acid polymers and copolymers in mice.

Antibody responses to the penicilloyl (BPO) group, the major antigenic determinant of penicillin allergy induced in C3H mice by penicilloylated bovine gamma globulin in complete Freund's adjuvant, were reduced or abolished by various amino acid polymers and copolymers of different composition and size carrying BPO groups. Tolerogenic treatment was effective before or after primary immunization and also during anamnestic responses. The unresponsive state was of long duration and persisted even after several booster injections when efficient tolerogens were used. Among the most promising tolerogens are fully penicilloylated oligolysines with a molecular weight below 10 000.