Effect of Prior Exposure to Synthetic Polymers of α-D-Amino Acids on the Subsequent Response to the Enantiomorphic Polymers of α-L-Amino Acids ∗

Summary

Previous injections of rabbits with poorly immunogenic polymers of α-D-am-ino acids in complete adjuvant reduced the subsequent response against the α-L-ami-no acid polymers when in complete adjuvant. No depressing effect was obtained when solutions of the α-D-amino acid polymer were injected intraperitoneally or intravenously. The above findings have been ascribed to the antigenic competition effect of the mycobacterial antigens for pluripotential antibody forming cells.