Reduced humoral immunity in uremic mice genetically selected for high antibody response

ABSTRACT

Biozzi's Selection IV-A mice, genetically selected for 25 generations for high and low antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), 2-3 months old, were made uremic by subtotal nephrectomy and characterized for antibody production against the selection antigen. T cell activity was evaluated in vitro by lymphocyte proliferation and interleukin 2 (IL 2) production in response to the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). Total and IgM antibody titers (log2) were similar in uremic and non-uremic low responder mice (total antobody 4.0 +/- 0.6 vs 3.6 +/- 0.6; IgG 3.0 +/- 0.7 vs 2.4 +/- 0,4), while uremic high responders presented a blunted humoral immune response to SRBC when compared with non-uremic animals (total antibody 10.8 +/- 1.6 vs 13.0 +/- 0.2; IgG 10.3 +/- 1.5 vs 11.7 +/- 0.3). T cell proliferation and IL 2 production were similar in uremic and ...