[Tetracycline and the primary immune response]

The effect of tetracycline on proliferation of plate- and rossette-forming cells in the spleen and mesenterial lymph nodes of rats in case of the primary immune response with respect to the sheep erythrocytes was studied using the methods of Jerne, Notta and Zaalberg. It was found that tetracycline acted as an inhibitor when it was administered 48 hours before introduction of the antigen. When they were administered simultaneously its inhibiting effect decreased. When tetracycline was injected 24 hours after the antigen administration it had induced stimulation of immunogenesis. The inhibiting effect of the antibiotic was more pronounced with respect to the plate-forming cells and less pronounced with respect to the rossette-forming cells. The inhibiting effect of the antibiotic was lower in the mesenterial lymph nodes than in the spleen. The problem of independent antibody genesis in the lymph nodes is discussed.