The production of IgE and IgGa antibodies in normal rats and rats infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis.

The time courses of production of IgE and IgGa homocytotropic antibodies were measured in Wistar rats during a primary and secondary response to egg albumin with pertussis or Freund's adjuvants. An anamnestic IgE antibody response occurred in animals previously sensitized to antigen with killed Bordetella pertussis as adjuvant. IgGa antibodies were formed in the primary response with Freund's complete adjuvant only, but were found during the secondary response with all adjuvants used. The time courses of formation of IgE and IgGa antibodies were very different during the secondary response. The production of both classes of antibody to egg albumin was studed in Wistar and Hooded Lister rats infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. IgGa antibody formation was not potentiated by the infection. However, increased levels of IgE antibody, formed during a secondary response to antigen in infected animals, were consistently higher in both strains than during a primary response.