MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX CONTROL OF THE CLASS OF THE IMMUNE-RESPONSE TO THE HAPTEN TRINITROPHENYL

This paper investigates major histocompatibility complex (MHC) regulat ion of the class of the immune response given in in vitro and in vivo following immunization of the congenic BALB/k (H-2(k)) and BALB/c (H-2 (d)) mice with the hapten trinitrophenyl (TNP). TNP-immune lymph node cells from BALB/k mice produced high levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-g amma), interleukin-5 (IL-5) and IL-2 when stimulated with TNP-antigen- presenting cells (APC) in vitro, while TNP-immune lymph node cells fro m BALB/c mice produced very low levels of these cytokines. No signific ant difference was found in antigen-specific production of IL-3, IL-4 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). There was a strong corre lation between the pattern of cytokine production in vitro and the sec ondary antibody production in vivo. Sera from BALB/k mice had anti-TNP IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 levels threefold greater, and anti-TNP IgA leve ls eightfold greater, than BALB/c mice. The level of specific IgG1 and IgE was only marginally raised in BALB/k mice. In contrast to these s train differences in cytokine and antibody production, there was no di fference in two measures of cellular immunity: contact sensitivity in vivo and antigen-specific lymphocyte response in vitro. Our results su ggest that there is a good correlation between the production of cytok ines in vitro and antibody response in vivo, but not with measures of cellular immunity. Moreover, this MHC control of the class of the immu ne response to TNP does not fit into the T-helper type-1 (Th1)-Th2 par adigm.