EFFECT OF GANGLIOSIDES IN THE AUTOIMMUNE-RESPONSE INDUCED BY LIPOSOME-ASSOCIATED ANTIGENS

A model of autoimmunity to rat male accessory glands (RAG) was recentl y developed by intraperitoneal administration of three doses of native RAG associated with liposomes. In this work we analysed the effects o f gangliosides in the cellular response to RAG when they were intraper itoneally administrated prior to the second dose of liposome-associate d RAG. Results show that the ganglioside treatment could modify an est ablished DTH response. Also, gangliosides markedly reduced the number of la antigen-positive peritoneal exudated cells (PEC). However, they modified neither the processing of liposomes through PEC nor their via bility. Moreover, we obtained cellular response by transferring PEC fr om immunized donors into naive receptors.