Decoy Immunization for Mice, Rats, and Hamsters

Decoy immunization relies on misdirecting the T and B cells of the immune system away from immunogenic regions against which one does not want to generate antibodies, allowing the desired region to be profiled. Essentially, it involves immunizing animals with two forms of the targeted protein on opposite sides of the body. One form, with the region of interest removed (i.e., a modified protein), is injected into the left side of animal, whereas the intact protein of interest is injected into the right side. In theory, undesired B cells are drawn to the left side of the animal, leaving the desired B cells to be drawn to the right (specifically, in the procedure presented here, to the right popliteal lymph node).