[Local immune response in mouse experimental airborne influenza: immunoglobulin concentrations, antibody levels of immunoglobulin classes and anamnestic response in bronchial washings (author's transl)].

Sera and bronchial washings from normal mice and from mice previously infected with influenza virus were analyzed for their concentration of four immunoglobulin (Ig) classes by the method of single radial immunodiffusion and for their content of specific antibody of these Ig classes by the immunofluorescent method. IgA were not detected in bronchial washings from normal mice. The IgA/IgG ratio was not higher than 0.33 in infected mice. The IgA level increased briefly in infected bronchial washings, but the levels of IgG2 and particularly of IgG1 exhibited a longer and higher increase. The maximal increase of these three Ig classes occurred by the seventh day and might have derived from transsudated serum. IgM was not identified in normal bronchial washings, but immunofluorescence detected IgM in infected washings, which also showed specific antibody in each of the four Ig classes. IgG2 and IgM contained antibody in greatest, IgA in lower concentration. Our results indicate that the most part of bronchial antibody was produced locally, since the ratio of Ig concentration to antibody titre of each Ig class was consistently higher for bronchial washings than for sera. An anamnestic secretory antibody response could not be demonstrated in bronchial washings.