Attack stress and IgE antibody production in rats

The effect of stress on production of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in rats was investigated, the IgE being titrated by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reactions. In rats, exposed to attack by other rats made aggressive by intraventricular injections of 6-OHDA for one hour per day for three consecutive days before the first immunization, there was no difference in the titer of IgE as compared to the control rats, but, in the rats exposed to stress procedure before the second immunization, the production of IgE was significantly suppressed.