Immune memory expression to Tnp-Ficoll in CB.20 mice: evidence for a multigenic control

Trinitrophenyl (Tnp)-Ficoll, a class 2 thymus-independent (TI) antigen, generates in most mouse strains Tnp-specific B-memory cells which can be detected in situ 1 week after priming by a heterologous stimulation with Tnp-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) but not by a homologous Tnp-Ficoll challenge. We have investigated the secondary responses raised in CB.20 congenic mice by a homologous challenge in situ occurring at various time intervals after priming. We report that a memory-type response is obtained, culminating when the challenge is performed at 4 weeks; this finding assesses definitely the ability of TI-2 antigens to produce immunological memory under standard conditions. However, the same immunization procedure elicits no memory-type response in the majority of other mouse strains, suggesting a possible genetic control of the expression of memory to class 2 TI antigens. The utilization of F1 hybrids between C57BL/6 and BALB/c and of appropriate congenic strains shows indeed that this memory expression is under multigenic control: Igh-V or closely linked genes are clearly involved but a complementation with other gene(s), located outside the H-2 complex, is required for a memory-type response to Tnp-Ficoll. We have also analyzed the secondary heterologous response to Tnp-LPS in CB.20 mice at different times after Tnp-Ficoll priming. The difference in the kinetic profile of the heterologous (TI-2----TI-1) versus homologous (TI-2----TI-2) secondary responses is discussed in terms of B-memory-cell ontogeny and humoral regulation.