Antibody production by mice infected with selected murine oncogenic agents

Abstract

The capacity of mice with experimentally induced neoplasias to respond immunologically to influenza and coxsackie viruses, diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and sheep erythrocytes was investigated. Data are presented which indicate that antibody synthesis was suppressed by prior or concomitant infections from Friend or Rauscher virus. Both the primary and secondary immune responses were impaired by the leukemogenic process. Antibody production by mice bearing sarcoma 180 was unaffected. The diminished capacity of the infected mice to synthesize antibody became apparent within a week or two after infection. Antibody suppression was demonstrated by a variety of procedures. The persistence of preexisting antibody was unaffected by subsequent infection with a leukemogenic agent.