Transmission of anti-Brucella abortus Agglutinins across the Gut in Young Mice

Abstract

IT has been recorded¹ that antibodies from hyper-immune anti-Salmonella pullorum sera prepared in various species were absorbed from the gut of young rats at significantly higher rates than antibodies from hyper-immune anti-Brucella abortus sera. The absorption rates of these antibodies depended more on the antigen used in their production than on their species of origin. A similar conclusion was thought to apply to young mice when it was observed that the absorption from the gut of antibodies from hyper-immune anti-Brucella abortus serum prepared in a rabbit was markedly less than that of other rabbit γ-globulins. If the relative rates of absorption of antibodies from the gut are expressed in concentration quotients which are the ratios of the concentrations of antibodies in the serum of the animals fed and in the immune serum fed, the maximum concentration quotients obtained after feeding 11-day hybrid C₅₇Bl × A₂G mice with rabbit anti-sheep red cell agglutinins² or with rabbit normal γ-globulin³ were 1/64–1/128, whereas the maximum concentration quotients obtained after feeding with rabbit anti-Brucella abortus agglutinins were < 1/1,024. This phenomenon was investigated further, and preliminary results are presented here.