Immunologic Unresponsiveness to Heterologous Serum Proteins Induced in Adult Mice and Transfer of the Unresponsive State

Abstract

Summary Complete tolerance to HGG, TGG and partial tolerance to BSA was induced in adult C57B1/6 mice by injecting small amounts of soluble protein before an injection of antigen incorporated into Freund's adjuvant. Minimal doses required to induce tolerance in mice lasting for a given period of time were compared to the amounts of protein left 20 days after injection. The results suggested that persistence of antigen per se is not the determining factor for maintaining the tolerant state. “Adoptive tolerance” to HGG was induced in lethally irradiated recipients following injection of spleen cells of HGG tolerant donors. Spleen cells obtained from mice rendered tolerant either after birth, or later in adult life, were effective