EVALUATION OF THE HUMORAL IMMUNE-RESPONSE TO DIFFERENT ANTIGENS IN ARKANSAS REGRESSOR AND PROGRESSOR CHICKENS

Arkansas Regressor and Progressor chickens were re-evaluated for their immune response to different antigens. Chickens received i.v. injecti on of either SRBC (10 birds per line) or Salmonella pullorum (SP; 10 b irds per line) at 7 wk of age, and sera were collected at 6, 13, and 2 0 d postimmunization. A third group of birds (10 birds per line) recei ved and i.m. injection of GAT emulsion at 7 and 12 wk of age, and sera were collected at 10 and 14 wk of age. There were significant differe nces between the two lines in their humoral immunity to SRBC, SP, and GAT. Such results suggest genetic control of humoral immunity to these antigens in these lines. It is unknown whether humoral immunity to th ese antigens is correlated to regression of tumors induced by Rous sar coma virus.