Abstract
Allophenic (tetraparental) mice of the following types were produced: C57BL/6J ↔ C3H/HeJ, C57BL/6J ↔ DBA/1J, C3H/HeJ ↔ CF1, C3H/HeJ ↔ DBA/1J, C57BL/6J ↔ BALB/cJ, SJL/J ↔ C3H/HeJ, SJL/J ↔ DBA/2J, SJL/J ↔ C57BL/6J, and DBA/1J ↔ A/J. These mice were immunized with 35 or 77 µg of “high-conjugation” (50 to 75%) 2,4 dinitrophenyl-poly (glu57 lys38 ala5), DNP-GLA5, or with 10 µg of poly (glu60 ala30 try10), GAT10. The primary and secondary antibody responses to the DNP group or GAT10 were tested. Many of the mice expressing the presence of “responder” cells, as shown by coat color phenotype, failed to respond to these antigens. We suggest two possible explanations: 1) An allophenic mouse may need a minimum number of responder lymphoid cells in order to respond to an antigen. 2) Cross-tolerance may be responsible for the non-response to some antigens in some strains of mice.