Differences in immune responses to a low-molecular compound in three guinea-pig strains

The present experiments were undertaken to clarify the differences in humoral and cellular immune responses to a low-molecular compound, sodium 2,4,6-trinitrobenznnesul fonate dihydrate (TNBS) in guinea-pig strains. Guinea pigs of three different strains, Hartley, Strain 2 and Strain 13, were immunized subcutaneously with TNBS (3 mg/body) 2 or 3 times a week, 9 times in total. Humoral immune responses to TNBS were assessed by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) and Arthus reaction, and cellular immune response was assessed by delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH). Hartley guinea pigs showed high humoral immune responses to TNBS, whereas Strain 2 and 13 guinea pigs showed low responses. Strain 2 guinea pigs displayed high cellular immune response to TNBS, and Strain 13 displayed low cellular immune responses. These results suggest that the pattern of humoral immune response to TNBS does not correlate with that of the cellular immune responses to TNBS for Strain 2 and Hartley guinea pigs.