Adjuvant Effect on Maintenance and Escape from Tolerence 1

Summary

When mice are injected with deaggregated human gamma globulin (HGG), an HGG-tolerant state ordinarily is produced and persists despite subsequent challenges with an immunizing dose of HGG in saline or with an immunizing dose of HGG in Mycobacterium adjuvant. Subsequent administration of an immune elimination dose of radiolabeled HGG, at 27 days and 47 days does not break the tolerant state. Of special interest is the observation that when complete adjuvant containing increasing amounts of mycobacterial components was administered in conjunction with antigen very early in the tolerance induction phase 5 days after TID, it appears to prevent tolerance production.

Mice challenged 5 and 17 days after the tolerance-inducing inoculation exhibit a statistically significant increase in circumvention of tolerance when compared with individuals challenged on the 7 and 17 day schedule. This increased circumvention of tolerance, as evidenced by 5 day challenge mice, seems to be related both to the mycobacterial content of the adjuvant and murine strain.