Induction of antibody tolerance to sheep erythrocytes in lizards using modified erythrocyte preparations

Abstract

Physical (hypotonic lysis) or chemical (formalinization, periodate oxidation) modification of sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) resulted in a form which induced low numbers of splenic plaqueforming cells (PFC) and low levels of serum antibody in the lizard, Calotes versicolor. Pretreatment of lizards with any one of these modified preparations rendered them specifically unresponsive to a further challenge with an immunogenic dose of native SRBC. This unresponsiveness was evident only with refenence to PFC and serum antibody responses, whereas spleen cell migration inhibition (MI) response to SRBC, an in vitro correlate of cell-mediated immunity (CMI), remained unaffected. The effect of these modifications on the immunogenicity of SRBC relating to the ability to induce either an immune response or tolerance is discussed.