Enhancement of IgE antibody production in AKR mice.

When dinitrophenylated keyhole limpet hemocyanin (DNP-KLH) primed AKR mice were injected with dinitrophenylated Nippostrongylus brasiliensis extract (DNP-Nb), an enhancement of IgE antibody production was obtained by nematode parasite, N. brasiliensis, infection or by Nb antigen injection 2 weeks before DNP-Nb injection. A preferential enhancement of IgE production was observed in infected mice compared with Nb-injected mice. Anti-hapten IgE antibody response was suppressed in AKR mice after appropriate immunization. No suppression of IgE response was observed after whole body irradiation (180-540 R) at an early stage of immunization. High and persistent IgE response was observed in (AKR X DBA/1)F1 mice of both sexes, therefore, the suppressive effect on IgE response in AKR mice was inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. The similarity of IgE class specific suppression in AKR and SJL mice is discussed.