Antibody Synthesis in Vitro: The Antigenic Reactivity of Antibodies to Coliphage MS-2 Synthesized in the Presence and Absence of Streptomycin 1

Summary

Spleen and lymph node cells from rabbits hyperimmunized with coliphage MS-2 synthesized neutralizing antibodies when cultured in vitro. Antibodies synthesized in cell cultures in the absence of streptomycin neutralized phage MS-2 to a high titer whereas antibodies synthesized in the presence of 200 μg/ml of the drug had reduced neutralizing capacities. The difference in neutralizing activity was due to the fact that antibody preparations synthesized in the presence of the drug had either lower avidity and/or affinity for phage MS-2 than did antibody preparations synthesized in the absence of the drug.